Adulting is Hard
Summer is coming to an end and many parents are prepping for their children to go back to school, except, this year they will be assisting their children in distant learning as the pandemic continues, adding even more stress than we’ve seen in the last few months. Parents are wearing multiple hats and are busier than ever. Stress is at an all time high and parents need a release, an outlet, and a way to decompress. As a therapist, I recommend for parents to self care by exercising, getting outdoors, getting enough sleep, and eating a well balanced diet to help reduce stress and other strong challenging emotions, but sometimes, parents just need to sit down and unwind with a partner or friend and have a mocktail or cocktail in a responsible way for a social release. There is a big difference between a parent using alcohol to try and avoid or cover up stress and using alcohol as a negative coping mechanism versus having a glass of wine at the end of the day to relax from a busy day because it is a fun way to unwind with a friend or a loved one. In other words, there is a big distinction between saying I want to have a drink and I need a drink. I know firsthand how hard life can be right now, personally and professionally, but it’s important to know that this is temporary and we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Remember to have fun and make time for some self care into your lifestyle.
I have partnered with Responsibility.org this year to help educate other parents on drinking responsibly and also how parents can help talk to and educate their children on drinking responsibly and decrease underage drinking. And a core mission of Responsibility.org is to encourage a lifetime of responsible choices with alcohol. You can learn more by visiting their website. They have so many resources for parents that I know you will find useful and helpful. In the meantime, here are 3 tips for responsible drinking that you can easily implement into your lifestyle!
Know The Standard Pour
The world is slowly opening up and more and more people, including myself, are starting to gather for family gatherings, friendly get togethers, outdoor lunches, and even wine tasting. There have even been a few nights where my husband and I have had a date night at home having a cocktail or a glass of wine together outside in the backyard or while watching a movie. But when we do, we always abide using the standard pour.
A standard pour means 1.5 ounces of a distilled spirit, 5 ounces of wine and 12 ounces of beer
To be honest, I have known what a standard pour was since I was in college when I spent a few years working as a server in a restaurant while I was getting my undergraduate degree. I went through extensive training even though I wasn’t one of the ones actually pouring the drinks, the restaurant wanted all staff to be aware of the proper pour and for some reason the information has stuck with me ever since! But I am aware that many people aren’t aware of this information, especially if they didn’t work in the restaurant industry, thus feel it is important to share with you today. When drinking alcohol, it’s important to beware of large glasses or estimating how much alcohol is actually going into the glass. One way to ensure you are pouring correctly is to use a jigger to measure out the appropriate amount of spirits.
Know Your Body Limits
Responsibility.org is an excellent resource for adults, not just parents, on this topic. To learn more about how alcohol might affect you individually, the Responsibility.org site includes a Virtual Bar and BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) calculator, where users can insert your weight, gender, age, and then select a drink, and even some food, and learn your personal blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Additionally, as you probably know, alcohol affects men and women differently, even at the same weight and consumption amount. Here’s a link to an infographic explaining this detail. The website is even a quiz you can take that will tell you if you are a responsible drinker!
Responsible Drinking Tips
Use a safe pour and avoid a free pour
Be mindful of your consumption and how often you are consuming a drink per hour
Wait until you are done with your first drink before ordering or making a new one
Drink water between sips and between having a new drink
Eat food while you are consuming an alcoholic beverage
If you are hosting a physically distant gathering at your house, make sure to always offer non alcoholic beverage options, like offering a mocktail, as well as food and water.
If needed, please have a designated driver drive you home or call a driver service like Uber or Lyft
Mocktail Recipes
One thing I love about Responsibility.org’s Instagram feed is that they share a #MocktailMonday with so many delicious mocktails of some of your favorite drinks! Here are two of my favorites!
Bloody Mary
1 part tomato juice
1/2 lemon
dash of salt and pepper
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
6 basil leaves
1 celery stick
1 pickle
(I even add a stick of bacon for a fun little spin on the drink!)
Mango Mule
4-5 slices of cucumber
1 oz of honey syrup
1.5 oz mango puree
1.5 oz fresh lime juice
1.5 oz ginger beer
ice
For more recipes, information, and resources, please follow Responsibility.org on social media!
I am a Responsibility.org ambassador this year and was compensated to write the post but all opinions are my own. #TeamResponsibility.
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