Pub quiz! When is it acceptable to put beer in your 2-year-old's sippy cup? a.) When you've run out of chocolate milk b.) When it's way past everybody's bedtime and clearly somebody needs himself a little "nightcap" or c.) Never. Okay, obviously the correct answer is a.) When you've run out of chocolate milk ... no! Just kidding, duh. The correct answer is obviously NEVER. It's NEVER acceptable to put beer in your 2-year-old's sippy cup. Which is why Valerie Topete of Phoenix was arrested -- for allegedly putting beer in her 2-year-old son's sippy cup while dining at a restaurant. And charged with child abuse.
But here's the thing. (And here's the part where I'm going to lose a lot of you, but hang in there for a minute.) I don't think she deserved to be charged with child abuse, because I don't think she did anything wrong.
At first, of course, I did. But then I heard Topete's side of the story: Her family went out for pizza. They ordered a pitcher of beer. Her son, like most 2-year-olds, didn't want his sippy cup of apple juice, he wanted what the grown-ups were drinking, so he kept fussing and reaching for the pitcher. Finally Topete put a "splash of beer" in her son's cup as "reverse psychology." Which makes sense! Beer does not taste good to small children. I know exactly how this went down: You're not going to like it, that's for grown-ups. MINE! You won't like it. I WANT IT. You won't like it. NOW! Fine, here you go! How's that?! I no like it.
And that's the last time he'll ask for beer until he's 16. Brilliant move on Mom's part. Or, at the very least, NOT freaking child abuse. The 2-year-old was taken to a hospital for "precautionary reasons" and was later released to the care of his father, according to police. His mom is reportedly still in police custody.
Meanwhile, countless ACTUAL child abusers are doing serious harm to their kids behind closed doors. But we're too busy pointing fingers at a mom who merely made a snap decision in a public place to pay attention to the real criminals. It makes me absolutely sick.
Do you think this mom is guilty of child abuse for putting a "splash of beer" in her son's sippy cup?
Image via ECohen/Flickr
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Comments 122
Also, don't assume that kids aren't going to like beer. My kids have gotten ahold of unattended beers at family bbqs. I now know to watch them carefully because they like it, and given a chance will sneak a drink. My kids do know thay are not allowed to drink beer. (Whenever I won't let her have a drink of whatever I'm drinking, my daughter, who is 2 1/2, will ask "It beer?")