Catholic priest advises parents: Let your children taste alcohol

A Ugandan Catholic priest has urged parents to allow their children to taste a little alcohol in order to learn self-control.


Uganda’s Daily Monitor reports. Rev Fr Stephen Sserunjogi of Lubaga Cathedral Parish, Kampala Archdiocese made the remarks while celebrating mass at a resident of Musigula village in Lubaga Division, Kampala.

He is quoted by the Daily Monitor saying;
“Children, especially those above 18, have to be taught self-control and how to protect their lives by not drinking too much. Just talking badly about alcohol will be of little help. Let them have some beers or wine and decide for themselves whether it’s good or bad.”

He further said that it was not of any help for parents to always talk bad about alcohol and tell their children never to taste it. Instead parents should allow the kids top taste some little beer or wine and advise them not to indulge too much because of the consequences.

69 year old Mr Charles Lwanga, a parishioner of the church supported the idea stating that some parents get it all wrong thinking that if they hide alcohol from their children they are acting smart. He said that children will always be curious to find out about the drink they are always lectured not to drink.

Mr Lwanga said there are many families with strict parents, teetotallers and even religious leaders whose children end up engaging in binge drinking and turning into nuisance.

“Such parents fail to face the facts on the ground. They think by giving alcohol all sorts of bad names will protect the kids.”