Kids reaction to drunk

Keyboard Hound

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Two kids, five and eight, have never seen a person even drink and have no knowledge of alcohol. What reaction is likely if they encounter a rip-snorting falling-down drunk who just happens to be kin?

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks,
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JoNightshade

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Maybe describe exactly what he's doing as he's drunk. I can imagine two reactions, from my own limited experience: total embarrassment and confusion, or hilarity. Oh, wait, three: fear. It depends on the situation. For me, my aunt was totally drunk and started coming onto my dad. I was so unbelievably embarrassed! But let's say it was another uncle, inebriated, and saying silly stuff in front of the family. That might be funny as long as the adults are there. On the other hand, I think of one incident when I was little, with a babysitter who took me out with her boyfriend in their no-door open top jeep, then to his apartment, where they started playing with fire. I don't think they were actually drunk, they were just being stupid teenagers, but in the absence of other responsible adults I was quite scared.

I think it can be really terrifying for small children when the adults around them suddenly fail to be responsible.
 

Mumut

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Perhaps the youngest, if a girl, would be horrified and frightened. And perhaps the older boy could be the same at first but then find it very funny - and be told off by his sister.
 

mab

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I agree that the kids would find it either funny or be scared/freaked out. But I do wonder, how do they have NO knowledge of alcohol? Even if the parents were teetotal...cartoons like Dumbo have drunkenness in them...I'm sure you have a reason for that but its just something that struck me...
 

Keyboard Hound

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I agree that the kids would find it either funny or be scared/freaked out. But I do wonder, how do they have NO knowledge of alcohol? Even if the parents were teetotal...cartoons like Dumbo have drunkenness in them...I'm sure you have a reason for that but its just something that struck me...


The setting is a remote area. The kids have grown up with limited contact with the outside world and with no tv's or newspapers.
 

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fair enough...then I'd say freaked out/amused depending on the characters! Also bemusedly wondering what the heck is going on, and if all people 'around here' (outside world) act like that!
 

caromora

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It might depend on what type of drunk the person is. Is he/she a mean drunk? Happy drunk? Sad? Quiet and mopy, or loud and exuberant? And also, it would depend on what type of kids they are. What are their personalities?
 

StoryG27

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Two kids, five and eight, have never seen a person even drink and have no knowledge of alcohol. What reaction is likely if they encounter a rip-snorting falling-down drunk who just happens to be kin?

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks,
Keyboard
This happened to my kids. They were about the same age. They were honestly scared. We left early.
 

Keyboard Hound

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It might depend on what type of drunk the person is. Is he/she a mean drunk? Happy drunk? Sad? Quiet and mopy, or loud and exuberant? And also, it would depend on what type of kids they are. What are their personalities?



The older one is mama's helper, too responsible for her years, and used to helping with the five-year old and a baby. They younger is a pushy, nosy, mischevious and impulsive little thing who does not listen to anyone.

The drunk goes from frisky to sad to mean as he finishes off his bottle. And he's loud the entire time.
 

Keyboard Hound

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This happened to my kids. They were about the same age. They were honestly scared. We left early.

How did they react? Lots of questions? Mulling it over quietly? Was the adult one they'd respected before and did their feelings change toward the person?
 

StoryG27

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How did they react? Lots of questions? Mulling it over quietly?
My daughter was quiet, trying to figure it out, and obviously intimidated. My son would, depending on the person, ask the drunks themselves questions, unless they were really loud, then he'd run to me or Hubby. My daughter didn't ask questions until we left, and by that time for my son, it was out of his mind.

Was the adult one they'd respected before and did their feelings change toward the person?
A couple of them were, some were strangers. They seemed weary of the people (even the ones they knew and loved) while the people were drunk, but once sober, nope, it didn't seem to affect the way they interacted at all. The people they hardly knew, it actually seemed to have a longer term impact. The next time they saw them, the kids wanted to avoid them.
 

MelancholyMan

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I took my son to one of those mixed martial arts competitions a few years ago. I guess he was 11 at the time and he'd never seen anyone drunk before but there was a drunk red-neck there. Actually there were probably hundreds of drunk rednecks there, but this idiot was spoiling for a fight and drew alot of attention to himself. Ultimately he got his @$$ kicked and was hauled out by the law and everyone cheered, but prior to that, my son's reaction was very interesting.

He watched carefully but with a full understanding that something was wrong with this person. I told him the man was drunk and he knew very well to stay away. He kept wanting to move back but no so far away he couldn't see what the moron was doing. I don't know if it was because he was interested in the outcome, or if he instinctively wanted to know where the dangerous spot was. He talks about it from time to time to this day. Really a great experience since he now knows how stupid (and dangerous) getting drunk can be.

JB
 

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I took my son to one of those mixed martial arts competitions a few years ago. I guess he was 11 at the time and he'd never seen anyone drunk before but there was a drunk red-neck there. Actually there were probably hundreds of drunk rednecks there, but this idiot was spoiling for a fight and drew alot of attention to himself. Ultimately he got his @$$ kicked and was hauled out by the law and everyone cheered, but prior to that, my son's reaction was very interesting.

He watched carefully but with a full understanding that something was wrong with this person. I told him the man was drunk and he knew very well to stay away. He kept wanting to move back but no so far away he couldn't see what the moron was doing. I don't know if it was because he was interested in the outcome, or if he instinctively wanted to know where the dangerous spot was. He talks about it from time to time to this day. Really a great experience since he now knows how stupid (and dangerous) getting drunk can be.

JB

I like that looking for "where the danger spot was" way of looking at it from a kids' point of view. Interesting. Thanks.
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On a recent account with a very drunken uncle at home, my 8-year-old son quietly stayed out of the way and pulled me aside when he got the chance to ask why Uncle Derek was acting so strangely? He wasn't afraid or put out - merely bemused and definitely not impressed. Didn't see the funny side. I'd almost say he was rather insulted and/or disappointed.

My 6-year-old had absolutely no interest in him at all. As a drunk he had no interest in her or what she had to say, so she simply ignored him after that. Didn't particularly notice the behavioural changes. He just became boring.

Having said that, he was a drunken relative at home, not the kind of scary drunk you meet in the street ... generally they're afraid of 'weirdos' in the street but that's probably from my own vibes since I naturally tend to cross to the other side ...