One essay earlier this week got people fired up about nursing in a moving vehicle. Now comes another hot-button topic: Giving alcohol to children.

In an installment of Bad Parent, Gretchen Roberts confesses that she allows her daughters, one of whom is 5, to take the occasional tiny taste of wine. As someone who writes about food and wine, Gretchen sees her pinots and zinfandels as a vital part of life, something to share at the table with the whole family. She also rightly points out that Europeans have a similar attitude toward imbibing -- many of them embrace it in moderation and, in many cases, are not afraid to expose their children to it.

Personally, I am not sure I'd be totally comfortable giving my kids a sip of wine at such a young age. I guess it's the "bourgeois" American in me, but -- while I respect Gretchen's take on the issue -- I would probably feel a little guilty the minute after I helped them take that first sip. On the other hand, I do think that parents who are wine drinkers should not avoid having a glass or two with dinner. Keeping alcohol a "secret" can sometimes breed an unhealthy interest in the stuff, which can make some teens and even preteens start sneaking it on the sly.

As this essay suggests, showing young people that it's possible to enjoy a nice cabernet without overindulging can be a positive thing. I'm just not sure that kids necessarily need a taste to learn that lesson.

Image: Reza Mazaheri