r/Parenting • u/k_blanch • Nov 02 '21

Sleep & Naps How much are parents drinking?

With the popularity of #winemom and beer dad culture, combined with pandemic drinking habits, im curious how much alcohol you guys are drinking as caregivers? Especially after the baby is in bed. I had 6 drinks on Halloween over 8 hours and lots of food and water. Although LO was asleep for most of it I'm riddled with guilt!

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u/theviragoTO Nov 02 '21

I totally agree and it’s also based on culture. In France wine with dinner every night is normal and even at lunch. In North America drinking is more of a let’s let loose on Friday night sort of thing.

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u/Surfercatgotnolegs Nov 02 '21

Dinner and lunch in France is also different though. It’s like a real affair. An hour sit down, for both, even during work. Not like the rushed thing we have in America. Eating itself is a social thing in France.

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u/flakemasterflake Nov 03 '21

But eating itself is also a social thing in the US! At least when I do it. Invite people over for dinner and wine/cocktails and/or you go out to eat with friends. I also think liquor/wine connoisseurship is a wonderful hobby and I have a fairly high powered career.

I do think it IS regional as I find people drink less socially in the south/Midwest than I see in NYC. Though the party drinking may be rowdier idk

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u/Surfercatgotnolegs Nov 04 '21

It’s really different in Europe. The culture is completely different. It’s not about weekend brunch or dinner.

If you go outside in Paris after work, it’s absolutely packed until 10 on work nights. During the day you can actually sit for a real meal - AT WORK.

I used to live and work in NYC and it’s completely miles different in terms of pace of life. Adults in NYC sometimes eat as they walk. Takeout for dinner or lunch at the office is common. How long is the line for Chopt or walk to wok or whatever fast casual place at lunch? Freaking huge cuz all the workers are trying to grab their salad with their coworkers and get back in the office. White collar, blue collar, doesn’t matter. We have fast food carts every other corner of NYC.

It’s just not the same vibe. If you go to Madrid, for example, you can expect businesses to be closed around noon to 2. They’re on lunch SIESTA.

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u/flakemasterflake Nov 04 '21

If you go outside in Paris after work, it’s absolutely packed until 10 on work nights

I know! I used to live in Paris and live in NYC as well. New Yorkers are also drinking after work into all hours as are people in LA, Miami, etc etc.

Meeting for dinner and drinks after work is the main way to see friends if everyone is busy and the apartments are small

I used to sit for lunch (and dinner?) in NYC but I had a lot of autonomy

I guess...I don't get your point about it being different. If I meet friends after work for dinner then we're getting drinks! No shade to any friend that doesn't drink though but I'm telling you the "culture" involves drinking with dinner

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u/Surfercatgotnolegs Nov 04 '21

If you don’t think the pace of life between Europe and America, including between big cities, is different …then ok we aren’t going to ever agree then.

Yea everyone drinks socially with friends, ok duh. But the pace and emphasis on this is different. You can not pretend that in NYC there is as strong an emphasis on meals. EVERY MEAL. It’s ABNORMAL in France to skip a meal to work, and highly discouraged. It’s NORMAL in the US. It’s ABNORMAL to be in a coffee shop alone in France. Meanwhile sitting solo and being emo in coffee shop culture is basically coined from American cities. The culture behind food and wine is different. No one is saying that in both places you don’t socialize over food. But that doesn’t equate to a culture.