Role models. Are we setting a good example?

There's no doubt that as we have children – the way we socialise changes – we tend to entertain at home more often. And with more alcohol being bought in supermarkets and off-licences than ever before, we're also drinking more at home.

The thought that our children are watching and learning about alcohol from us is probably something that hardly ever crosses parents' minds, especially as getting drunk in front of our kids is way off-limits.

Socialising at home

But given that our children's attitudes and behaviour are often influenced by how they see us act – on everything from food to driving habits – it may well be worth considering.

Sarah, a mum of three from Glasgow, says she definitely drinks more at home than she used to: 'Now that we have children my partner and I tend to socialise at people's houses more – in the summer we'll have barbecues and we usually open a bottle or two of wine on a Friday night when it's just the two of us'.

"No one wants to feel like they’re not able to be there for their child when they need them"

But, like a lot of parents, Sarah doesn't often consider how her and her partner's drinking might be teaching the children. 'It's not really something I've ever thought about. I'm a moderate drinker and would never get drunk in front of my kids – it's just not right, is it? There has been the occasional time when I've had a few too many, usually on big occasions like Christmas, and I definitely feel guilty about that the next day. But I've never really thought about how drinking a glass or two with dinner every day might make the kids think that daily drinking is the norm'.

Drunk in charge?

While most parents would never dream of encouraging their babysitter to drink on the job, how many of us stop to think about how responsible we're being by having a few drinks when we're the ones in charge? And that might not just be about the example we're setting our kids. Having even a couple of drinks can mean we're less able to cope if something happened, such as driving the kids to the hospital if they had an accident.

Sarah agrees: 'In the summer we quite often have barbecues with family and friends. All the kids love these get-togethers and make the most of the chance to run around having great fun. Most of the adults will have a couple of drinks, although no one really gets drunk. You know what kids are like though – you can keep a close eye on them but accidents do happen.

'I remember one party at a neighbour's house a couple of summers ago. Her son fell off the trampoline and badly split his lip. He needed stitches but all of us had been drinking, and obviously no one would risk driving in case they were over the limit – that would have been really daft. In the end we had to order a taxi to get to A&E. I know his mum felt terrible, and I would have too, if it had been one of mine. No one wants to feel like they're not able to be there for their child when they need them'.