1 in 4 Parents Not Prepared for ‘Parenting Hangovers’ From Holiday Parties

Most parents plan for transportation and child care before a special event, but fewer consider how excess drinking may affect parenting the next day, a new poll finds.

7:00 AM

Author | Beata Mostafavi

A quarter of parents who drink alcohol on special occasions don't consider limiting how much they drink or whether they'll be able to provide suitable care for their young children the next day because of a "parenting hangover."

LISTEN UP: Add the new Michigan Medicine News Break to your Alexa-enabled device, or subscribe to our daily audio updates on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher.

Such consumption can present other risks: A new University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health also found that 3 in 10 parents (29 percent) said they know of an adult who may have caused an unsafe situation for their child because of drinking alcohol at a special celebration.

These parents were most concerned that the other adult was too impaired or hungover to supervise the child (61 percent) or to handle a possible emergency (48 percent).

Less commonly, respondents were concerned that the adult drove with a child while impaired (37 percent), got violent or out of control in front of the child (28 percent) or injured the child (7 percent).

An additional 1 in 12 parents (8 percent) admitted to a situation when they may have been too impaired from alcohol to take care of their parenting responsibilities. About the same proportion of mothers and fathers acknowledged a prior lapse in judgment related to alcohol.

SEE ALSO: Before Hiring a Holiday Baby Sitter, Check This List Twice

"Most parents planning to drink alcoholic beverages on a night out arrange for a designated driver and child care for the event itself," says Sarah Clark, MPH, the poll's co-director.

"Fewer parents may consider how their alcohol consumption could impact parenting responsibilities to their young children the next day."

If alcohol use may potentially impact their ability to take care of their children the following day, parents may also consider child care arrangements.
Sarah Clark, MPH

Planning efforts vary

Most parents reported drinking alcoholic beverages during special events, either often (27 percent), sometimes (36 percent) or rarely (17 percent).

Among those, 73 percent said they were very likely to make plans in advance for someone to watch their child during the event, and 68 percent were very likely to plan for safe transportation.

MORE FROM MICHIGAN: Sign up for our weekly newsletter

However, just 47 percent were very likely to think in advance about how much they will drink, and 64 percent said they are very likely to make plans for someone to take care of their child the day after the event.

"The amount of alcohol consumed can affect parenting the next day," Clark says. "A parent passed out on the couch will not be effective in recognizing and reacting to the everyday safety risks that occur with children."

Moderation, caution are key

One notable finding: Parents who said they drink rarely were less likely to plan in advance for child care and transportation on the night of the special event and child care responsibilities the next day compared with parents who drink sometimes or often.

However, even rare instances of celebrating with alcohol can have serious consequences for children, Clark says.

SEE ALSO: Do You Have a Drinking Problem? 11 Warning Signs to Know

Parents may prevent overindulging by alternating alcoholic drinks with nonalcoholic ones, Clark notes. But if they aren't sure whether their alcohol consumption may impair parenting abilities, it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Parents who plan to drink alcoholic beverages during an outing should plan ahead for transportation to ensure they arrive home safely," Clark says. "If alcohol use may potentially impact their ability to take care of their children the following day, parents may also consider child care arrangements.

"Having children stay the night at a relative's home or asking a grandparent to stay overnight are options to ensure young children are in a safe and supervised environment."   

The nationally representative report is based on responses from 1,170 parents with at least one child ages 9 or younger.


More Articles About: Children's Health CS Mott Children's Hospital Safety Patient Safety Hospitals & Centers
Health Lab word mark overlaying blue cells
Health Lab

Explore a variety of healthcare news & stories by visiting the Health Lab home page for more articles.

Media Contact Public Relations

Department of Communication at Michigan Medicine

[email protected]

734-764-2220

Stay Informed

Want top health & research news weekly? Sign up for Health Lab’s newsletters today!

Subscribe
Featured News & Stories sketched out bacteria in a dish yellow and blue colors of U-M
Health Lab
This gross mixture has big benefits for the study of bacteria
Michigan Medicine researchers have found that growing bacteria on agar mixed with organs is an efficient and effective way to study infectious pathogens.
three pharmacists smiling
Health Lab
An innovative pharmacy service for pain management
An innovative service at Michigan Medicine offers pain management support for patients and care teams
family smiling togehter
Health Lab
Ketogenic diet helps 4-year-old live seizure free
Last year, a young girl experienced up to 40 seizures a week. Today, after nearly a year of working with the ketogenic diet team at University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital – overseen by a pediatric neurologist and dietitian – she’s celebrating six months of seizure freedom.
woman listening to different shadow windows of people saying different things about kids
Health Lab
Parents of young kids increasingly turn to social media for parenting advice
A C.S. Mott Children's Hospital health poll found most mothers and over two-thirds of fathers of children ages 0-4 use social media for questions on topics like feeding and behavior challenges.
human organ for transplant
Health Lab
Findings shed light on how a pediatric heart surgery complication impacts heart transplant survival
Patients who experience this condition following the Fontan continue to have a high risk of death from the time they’re waitlisted for a new heart through receiving the transplant, according to a 20-center study led by Michigan Medicine. And one specific complication called cyanosis – or experiencing less than normal oxygen blood levels – was associated with worsened survival.
wheelchair walker image
Health Lab
Spread of drug resistant bacteria linked to patient hand contamination and antibiotic use within nursing homes
A Michigan Medicine research team seeks to identify characteristics of patients within nursing homes, as well as the nursing home environment itself, that are associated with contamination by vancomycin-resistant enterococci.