Why Mums Have Been Drinking More During Lockdown

I need a drink. It's a common catch cry at the best of times. Now, as we struggle through the worst of times, these have become words to live by. For some of us at least.

Faced with months of isolation and it’s subsequent side-effects - uncertainty, confusion, separation, frustration - alcohol consumption is higher than ever before. We know mums have been driven to drink more due to lockdown and now we know why!

Early pandemic panic buying was a sign of things to come, as demand for alcohol soared. Now, parents have confessed to drinking more during the coronavirus crackdown. Being at home, boredom and loneliness all create an environment ripe for a tipple, but stress appears to be the number one factor causing parents to opt for alcohol to take off the edge, and homeschooling pressure is apparently the biggest driver.

That is according to a report by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. They surveyed over 1,000 Aussie parents and found that more than a quarter of them are drinking more alcohol - and many claimed the strain of homeschooling was the main reason. Parents of kids between 9 and 12 years old were found to be drinking the most, and reaching for the wine bottle has become an occupational hazard of the at-home education we were bound to provide.

With almost one in six parents now drinking daily, one in ten admitted to drinking “a lot more” now than before the coronavirus restrictions, and 38 per cent blamed stress and anxiety for their increased intake.

The CEO of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Dr Erin Lalor, said this has health implications not just for parents, but also for children who are easily influenced by adult behaviours. “Since the start of lockdown, some children have seen their parents’ occasional alcoholic drink turn into a daily ritual,” she said.

But don't panic - that's what got us here! Dr Lalor added that as the coronavirus restrictions ease, parents can quickly modify their behaviour and reinforce more positive messaging around responsible alcohol consumption. Cheers to that!

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