Dad Who Chaperoned An Event For His 6th Grade Daughter Questions Parents Who Left As Soon As They Weren't Allowed To Drink
There's a time and place to crack open a drink. A children's school event is not one of them.
@pattersonpersepctive / TikTok / Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock A father who kindly chaperoned a movie night for his daughter and her classmates was left dumbfounded by the actions of other parents at the event after a certain request of theirs was denied.
Now, he is encouraging parents to be mindful of what is considered appropriate behavior at school-chaperoned events designed for students’ enjoyment.
The father questioned other parents who left the chaperoned event after they learned they were not allowed to drink alcohol.
Daniel Patterson, a father as well as a recovering alcoholic, is passionate about educating people about sobriety. In the last eight years, he has written two books, founded a million-dollar company, and spoken to countless students and parents about the dangers of alcohol addiction and the importance of those affected by addiction seeking help to achieve sobriety.
His organization, Sobertunity, allows recovering addicts a space to overcome their struggles. “SOBERTUNITY is a collective - passionate about supporting others as we improve ourselves,” Patterson’s website reads.
However, not every adult shares the same thoughts and passions as Patterson, as he discovered during a recent movie night that was hosted for his sixth-grade daughter and her classmates. While serving as a chaperone for the event, he was shocked to see other parents suddenly leave after they were given some of the ground rules.
“One of the parents walks in with this huge cooler that you would get to go to the beach,” Patterson says in a TikTok video that has been viewed nearly 180,000 times. “She hands it to the hostess and she says, ‘I need you to put this on the ice.’” The cooler contained alcohol for the adults. However, their request was denied since alcohol was not permitted at the event.
Patterson watched the situation unfold. “The alcohol does not go on ice,” he reveals. “It stays in the cooler, it gets put underneath a table, it goes into a timeout.” The decision was understood and approved by Patterson himself who noted, "This is a kids’ event. It’s not a family party. This is a sixth-grade PTA movie night.”
Although, he admits that a bunch of sixth graders gathered around for a movie turn into “feral creatures” and many parents “could not hang if they did not have their booze.” One by one, the chaperones began to leave. “They were all gone except for me and the husband and wife who hosted the event,” Patterson reports.
The father cannot help but theorize that their sudden departure had to do with the fact that they had no alcohol. “Was it because there was no booze for them to drink? I don’t know what they were thinking, but I do know they were already there, and when there was no alcohol, they were gone,” he says.
He also questions why some adults feel the need to bring alcohol with them to every social event, and speculates that all the parents that left the movie night went home and 'got hammered.'
Patterson was not the only one questioning his fellow chaperones’ actions. Other TikTok users were shocked and appalled that dome parents would even consider bringing alcohol to a school event for children. “As a former PTA president, the liability for having alcohol is astronomical!” one user shared.
“I totally enjoy a social drink. But this was NOT the correct social event,” another user admitted. “It makes me equally as nuts when parents have to bring coolers to take their kids trick or treating,” another user pointed out.
Others expressed how staying sober at events is beneficial for both them and their children.
“I’m so happy that I’m sober. Spending time with my son and his friends and classmates feels like a privilege. I’m sad for those parents who can’t see that,” one user shared. “If you can’t skip a night of drinking to be with your kids, I’m not sure how moderate your drinking is,” another user wrote.
Not only is bringing alcohol to school events with children inappropriate, but it could also directly impact a child’s behavior and attitude toward alcohol. If children frequently witness their parents drinking alcohol during social events, they may associate alcohol with socializing and having a good time. This can shape their understanding of alcohol's role in social interactions and potentially contribute to a belief that alcohol is necessary for enjoyment.
If parents engage in problematic drinking habits, such as heavy or frequent alcohol consumption, it can increase the risk of normalizing alcohol abuse for children. This may contribute to an increased likelihood of developing alcohol-related problems later in life.
While there is no harm in having a drink in social settings every once in a while among friends, a PTA-chaperoned school event could get by just fine with absolutely no alcohol consumption.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.