MINNEAPOLIS — In recent years, we've seen a trend emerge among mothers (with a lot of help from savvy marketers) that is commonly referred to as "Mommy Wine Culture." Although the trend is cloaked in jokes and laughter about how moms need wine to cope with the overwhelming challenges of parenting, many of the effects of this trend – both for parents and children – are nothing to laugh about.
Developmental psychologist Dr. Marti Erickson, co-host of the "Mom Enough" podcast, joined KARE 11 Saturday to shine a light on the risks of "mommy wine culture" and ways to rise above it.
I. What is "mommy wine culture" and why does it matter?
"Mommy wine culture" is a trend that evolved around the exhausting, stressful work of motherhood, the promotion of wine (or other alcohol) as a way to deal with that, and a tendency to talk about it (and even create products that talk about it) in a way that blames kids. (Example: child t-shirt that says, "I'm the reason my mommy drinks." Or a t-shirt for mom, "My kids whine, I wine.") We need to reflect seriously on how this is affecting our health and well-being. And we need to think about the example it sets for our kids, as well as what it is saying to them about how they are the source of stress in our lives.
II. Healthy ways to rise above "mommy wine culture."
- Avoid laying blame for your stress on your children.
- Avoid suggesting alcohol is a solution for stress.
- Model and name healthy ways to deal with stress.
- Advocate for better support for parents.
- Seek help if you think you may be misusing alcohol.
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