This isn’t the first time I’ve advocated for children being with their parents when their parents are enjoying wine tasting, and it won’t be the last.

It’s necessary to point out that I’m not some crazy liberal out there, just promoting the heck out of getting American kids into alcohol at an early age. Never forget that I was the director of Androscoggin Day Camp for Girl Scouts in Sabattus, Maine… An awesome position of responsibility, given that this day camp was on a lake, and I had to make sure that no one drowned, got lost in the woods, or choked on S’mores.

I’ve written about why I think we should not lower the drinking age:

• Legal Drinking Age of 21… Should it be changed any time soon?

And I’ve also written why I believe that children need to be part of the lifestyle of moderation:

• Biltmore Estate & Winery: a nautalist’s dream; a parent’s delight
• Ann Rea Featured Artist at Gloria Ferrer’s Catalan Festival
• etc…. (I know there’s more, but who cares?)
  

I learned about moderation from religious fanatics… Roman Catholic nuns. I feel entitled to call nuns religious fanatics, because I was raised by them for so many years, and suffered substantially at their hands. I also need to balance that with the fact that I had “Mothers” (mine were “Mothers,” not “Sisters”) who were inspiring and very loving… but others were far to the right. The good ones talked about “Moderation is the key to life.” That’s the message that I took away from that period of my life.

From them I learned how to find that balance; including, not excluding, children observing wine being enjoyed as a liquid component to a meal, not the forbidden fruit of an overindulgent lifestyle.

Back to turning the battleship around… I believe it’s already quietly happening by those who are already in the know, and just silently living their lives according to their own plan, while the rest of us pass judgment on its right or wrongfulness.

The images in this blog are of children who were just quietly brought along the day that mommy and daddy went to a wine festival. They’re everywhere, People; it’s just a matter of time.

If you don’t want to believe it, let’s reflect on those among us who’ve lived through the glorious and rollicking 1960’s Flower Power days…. Would any of us have imagined then that we’d have an African American on the ballot as a US Presidential candidate in 2008?

Everything in moderation in good time…