Parents allowing children to drink and smoke

The majority of parents allow their underage children to drink alcohol.

A study of 1,830 parents commissioned by MyVoucherCodes website found that 73 per cent of parents who have children under 18 said they would allow them to drink alcohol.

More than 40 per cent admitted that they were aware of their underage children consuming alcohol outside of the house.

Adults who drank alcohol in front of their children were more likely to let their children drink alcohol too, with 86 per cent suggesting that they see no problem with it.

The study also shows that 41 per cent of parents thought that 15 years old was an acceptable age for alcohol consumption without consent.

A quarter of parents said they had caught or had been informed of their children smoking underage. However, 62 per cent felt they could not prevent it.

When it comes to cursing, only a third of parents surveyed would reprimand their child if he or she swore in their presence, while four out of five parents admitted to swearing in front of their children.

The study revealed 93 per cent of parents who have sworn in front of their children have heard their children swear, compared to just 64 per cent for those who haven’t sworn in front of their children.

Mark Pearson, Managing Director of MyVoucherCodes said: "With many parents openly admitting to drinking, smoking and swearing in front of their children on a regular basis, it is perhaps no surprise that they are not as strict in their parenting on these issues."