Dear Prudence: Boozy Mom

Slate's advice columnist, Prudence, counsels a woman who is conflicted about a fellow mother's hard-drinking ways.

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Film & Animation

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• Slate
• Slate V
• Dear Prudence
• Emily Yoffe
• animation
• advice

[JCej]

I agree w/ u about calling CPS for marijuana. That's just ridiculous

[popstarfromhel]

@JCej

Im sorry i've made my statement a bit empty i do agree with calling cps on parents that do drink excessive i was just talking about calling cps in a whole just because YOU think something is wrong.

Drunk parents are bad that is common logic sorry for making you think that i think different about that ;)

But about your last statement about drug addicted parents... Depends on the drug since calling cps for marijuana smoking parents is wrong and simply evil.

[JCej]

@popstarfromhel

What if her daughter's in the car and she's the one this mother ends up killing?

What if her daughter gets hurt or runs away and the mother's too drunk to notice? What happens when this child is older and her mother never got help? What's she supposed to do take care of her alcoholic mother? Would you say the same thing if the mother was a drug addict or a prostitute?

[JCej]

@popstarfromhel

We're not talking about someone who disagrees with the way this mother is raising her child, we're talking about someone who is concerned about the mother's excessive drinking. This is a woman who was going to drop her daughter off at another person's house so she could go clubbing for God sake. If she doesn't realize she has a problem and needs to get help then child protective services should be called.

What if she gets in a car and either gets arrested or kills someone?

[popstarfromhel]

Calling CPS is the worst thing a human can do except for murder, who are you?! to decide if a mother is capable to have kids. Different religions different visions of life etc. all come into play when teaching your kid and just because someone else dissagrees with the way your teaching your kid/kids should not mean they are not allowed to have them!

CPS is one of the worst things ever, off course its good if the child wants it him/herself but most likely they dont.

[ipesina]

Good answer.

[missbeatrix1]

@cahospitalist

Right! A "quick spank" can easily turn into an abusive situation.

[TheSaboteur97]

She may die like my dad. But not that bad

[MissNobodyful]

No, for some people it is normal and cultural to hit children. I know many people who were hit by their parents who don't resent them for it and still love them very much. Calling the cops on them will only needlessly break up their family unit.

[MissNobodyful]

Reporting the mother to authorities?! Ok, she's probably addicted to drinking but a) that doesn't mean she deserves to lose her daughter and have her daughter put into some overcrowded foster home full of bad kids on their own way to becoming criminals that's even WORSE than being with a drinking mom, b) it's not your place to report a near complete stranger you've met twice in your life.