French school kids were allowed to drink wine at recess until 1956
Parents believed that wine would help their kids in their development.
When you think about alcohol and children, it isn't a good mix at all.
But as cliche as it sounds, kids in France were encouraged to drink wine at school.
France is known for some of the finest wines in the world and it isn't uncommon for the French to be associated with drinking wine throughout the day.
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As the Expat in France says: "The approach to alcohol is definitely cultural in France."
"Until 1956, children were allowed to drink wine at lunch. It was mainly wine cut with water, but still." (Expat In France)
This was a cultural practice that was encouraged by parents because they felt that wine strengthened their children and aided in their development.
The Ministry of Health banned the consumption of alcohol at schools in 1956 for any kids under the age of 14. And in 1981, alcohol was completely banned in French schools.
Watch how the Expat in France explains this cultural practice.
Courtesy of YouTube.
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This is quite a sensitive topic for us, considering the Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) prevalence in society.
"60 to 70% of 11-year-olds in France have already tasted alcohol and 5 to 8% are regular consumers. Despite all the doctors’ warnings, wine has a very important part in French culture and also in the French economy. The wine lobbies are very powerful and also provide over half a million jobs in France." (Expat In France)
In a world where alcohol contributes to a large portion of deaths every year, also taking into regard that many adults are unable to control their consumption, we are glad that this cultural practice has been removed from the education system.
Image Courtesy of YouTube