You know what they say about parenting: you take your eyes off of them for one second, and...
They'll chug a whole can of beer at a football game?
At least that appeared to be what was happening at a University of Texas football game while TikToker Trish Prell was recording the goings-on of the game. While recording the crowd, Prell caught what appeared to be a mom and daughter sitting together in the stands a few rows ahead of her.
What was notable about this was that the young girl was chugging an entire can of Michelob Ultra while her mom was distracted, seemingly oblivious to what was happening.
The video was later shared on X by user Collin Rugg, who said:
"Toddler caught throwing back a beer at the University of Texas football game over the weekend. The child, who appears to be about 4, was seen chugging a Michelob ULTRA. Her mother appeared to be completely oblivious to what was going on."
"According to the individual who shared the video on TT, the mother was surprised to find out that her beer was all gone. 'Mom gets her beer back *beer all gone*,' said one commenter."
"'That's exactly what happened,' the creator of the video replied. It wasn't until the individual told the mom that she realized what had happened. 'We [told the mom] but by that point, she needed a new beer.'"
You can watch the video below:
While there is a standard age for alcohol consumption in each country, some parents opt to introduce their children to alcoholic beverages sooner, typically so they can learn what they like and what their bodies are comfortable with while they are in the safe environment of their home and family's company.
But parents who choose to go that route will introduce their kids to these drinks when they are teenagers, not toddlers.
Some viewers were deeply concerned about the footage.
What was alarming to viewers of the video was that the young girl didn't take one quick sip of the drink and then regret it, like so many children are prone to do when they get a little too curious at home or at a social event. Instead, she took swig after swig of the drink as if it were juice instead of beer, and she was clearly enjoying it.
This is outrageous. No parent should let their child drink terrible beer.
— Fight With Memes (@fightwithmemes) September 24, 2024
What an awful parent.
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) September 24, 2024
Instead of filming it, why didn’t the person immediately notify the parent. Watching the kid do it and filing it, makes you just as bad as a person that the neglectful parent is portrayed here as.
— Skýlos™ 🏴 (@Skylos01) September 24, 2024
What is wrong with parents these days?
— ProudPatriotUS🇺🇲 (@PrPatriotUS) September 24, 2024
Another parent of the year nominee. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/QsrfpjdlFZ
— Based Electrician⚡️🇺🇲 (@RyanHugeBrain) September 24, 2024
Others agreed and questioned how many times the toddler had had beer before.
Viewers were concerned about the exposure she might have had, even before the game, based on how much she wanted to drink it.
If it were her first time, she probably would have only taken a sip. If she was allowed or even encouraged to drink it at home, perhaps even as some sort of calming agent, it might explain her behavior.
That kid has had a few beers before.
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) September 24, 2024
That child definitely has experience drinking.
Any normal child would have spit it out as soon as they tasted it.
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) September 24, 2024
Tossing it back like it was nothing
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) September 24, 2024
I wonder why that kid likes the taste of beer. 😂
— Masculine Based (@MasculineBased) September 24, 2024
I’m guessing this isn’t the first time by the way that kids chugging
— One Bad Dude (@OneBadDude_) September 24, 2024
There's really no telling what was going on at this game. We cannot say for sure if the girl had a beer before, and we cannot say if the mom was that distracted or if she was simply ignoring her child's behavior.
But the short video spiked some interesting conversations around whether or not an early introduction to alcohol is okay for teaching purposes, and what might qualify as too early to get started.