Tipsy parents make children 'worried,' 'embarrassed,' study finds

Half of parents have been "tipsy" in front of their kids, a new study found, making young ones more likely to feel worried, embarrassed and neglected.

Parents need not drink large amounts regularly for their children to notice behavior changes and feel negative effects, according to researchers with London's Institute of Alcohol Studies. Just seeing parents tipsy or drunk once left children less likely to view them as role models around drinking.

Alcohol's smell becomes familiar to many children by their third year, the authors found. Of children surveyed, some reported their parents' drinking left them embarrassed (18%), worried (11%), and receiving less attention (12%).

"It seems likely that many parents do not realize this," said Caroline Flint, a member of Britain's Parliament, on the findings. Flint helped launch the report, titled "Like Sugar for Adults," which surveyed nearly 1,000 non-alcohol-dependent adults and children in the U.K.

Among the findings: 

• A third of parents said they've been drunk in front of their child. A third also thought that was OK, as long as it happened irregularly.
   
• About 15% of children had asked parents to drink less, while 16% of parents cited guilt or shame over how drinking affected their parenting. 
   
• Nearly 8% of children said parents argued more after drinking, a reality 10% of parents acknowledged. And 8% of kids said parents became more "unpredictable" after drinking.
   
• About 15% of children said parents' drinking disrupted their bedtime routine. About 15% of parents admitted putting kids to bed later when drinking. 
   
• About 18% of children reported parents acting more "fun" after drinking, with 12% saying parents gave them more freedom than usual. 

Parents who adopt a "highly accessible and aware parental style" can help guard their kids from the negative impacts of parental drinking, regardless of the consumption level, researchers said.

The way parents talk about alcohol is important, too, the report concluded: Even discussing parents' negative experiences with alcohol might normalize excessive drinking for children.

Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner