I think to some degree it depends on the kid, but I know it was definitely the right answer for me. I personally will never drink in a public setting, and I'm glad my parents gave me the opportunity to discover alcohol at home so I could come to that conclusion safely. The effect it has on me makes it very easy for me to be taken advantage of. I only had to get drunk once to realize I should never do it around people I don't trust 100%.

However, I do agree that the option shouldn't be open to other people's kids (until they're of age) and I wouldn't even make a big deal of offering it to my kid. I was also fortunate that my folks didn't keep too much hard liquor in the house, so I started on beer and wine. While I don't necessarily think this will prevent kids from drinking socially, I really do believe a child's first drinking experience should be in the safety of his/her own home - if they're going to start at all. And that's one of those things that, sadly, parents can't easily prevent if their teenager is set on it.