Europe may soon have a product for kids that looks like beer, and is bottled just like beer, but does not have alcohol.  It will be marketed to kids, and it is called Kidsbeer, surprisingly enough.  Of course, underage drinking groups here in the U.S. are fighting to keep the product out, citing that our kids do not need any more encouragement to drink.  From the statistics I’ve shared in other posts, I’m not sure the kids are really waiting for our encouragement, and likewise, I’m not convinced that having a kid’s version of beer is all that harmful.  Kids inherently want to do what we do, and many parents I know drink alcohol.  So, why not give the kids their own version?  It’s just a thought. 

Personally, my biggest issue with the product is not the look-alike factor, but the slogan on the bottle:  “Even kids cannot stand life unless they have a drink.” This one bothers me because of the suggestion that alcohol is a coping mechanism, and we already have problems in our schools with kids coping.  My guess is that this product will not make it into the U.S., but it is good that the Deseret News let us know this stuff exists, so we can manage accordingly.  After all, we are managing a similar issue with candy cigarettes, right?