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Wine Mom Culture

“Wine mom culture” refers to a cultural trend where the consumption of wine is humorously associated with a specific demographic—mothers. This phenomenon has gained visibility through various forms of media, including social media platforms, memes, and representations in popular culture. Most people on social media will be familiar with mommy drinking culture, even if they do not recognize it by name. We’ve all seen the funny memes centred around the tough job of motherhood. Phrases like “boxed wine is just a juice box for mom”, “I wine because my kids whine” or “surviving motherhood, one glass at a time” may seem like a joke, but the facts speak otherwise.

Wine And Women :

Between 2007 and 2017, the rate of alcohol-related deaths in women rose 85%, compared to men whose rates increased by only 29%. Furthermore, according to the CDC, nearly half of adult women report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, of which 13% of adult women report binge drinking and on average do so 4 times a month. Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks on a single occasion for women, and five or more drinks for men. However, the reality is that most people drink more than double those quantities.

Mommy's Wine: Marketing Alcohol As A “Solution” To Motherhood

Mommy’s wine has become a pop culture trend, with everything from wine glasses branded with “It’s mom’s turn to wine” to kitschy home décor encouraging wine o’clock. Companies are actively targeting women consumers and capitalizing on the message that drinking is a means to handle both motherhood and life in general.

Normalizing Problematic Behavior :

While many of these sorts of memes may be shared in jest by people who genuinely do not have a problem, there is certainly a sinister underlying tone. Aside from the message that we “need” alcohol to cope, we’ve normalized problematic drinking to the point that we become flippant when we see the statistics on what constitutes excessive drinking.

Additionally, mommy wine culture distracts from the issues that might be causing women to drink in the first place. High workloads both in the home and workplace can be major stress factors. Alongside this, there is a pervasive stigma attached to women who find motherhood difficult to cope with, and it can be difficult for women who are experiencing this to cope. Mommy wine culture doesn’t just trivialize harmful drinking behaviors, it also ignores the problems that may cause it.

Wine Culture And Our Children :

Part of the problem with wine mommy culture is the message that it is conveying to our children. Although Disney-themed wine glasses may appeal to our inner child, the underlying message to children is that drinking is a harmless way to cope with our problems. Furthermore, the jokes inherent to mommy wine culture put emphasis on how annoying, clingy, or whiney children can be. This can have an underlying impact on family relationships and induce feelings of guilt and shame in children.

Overcoming A Toxic Relationship With Alcohol :

The first line of defense in overcoming a problematic relationship with alcohol is to become aware of the problem, and the possible impact it may have. Addressing the issues that may be causing you to overdrink may also help to solve the problem. You may need extra help with childcare, or a need to address workplace stress. Whatever it is, talking about the issue is better than covering it up with alcohol.

Seeking professional help for alcohol dependence and the problems that it causes can be a proactive manner to solve the problem. Just because everyone around you makes light of a problem, doesn’t diminish its impact or severity. If you are struggling to cope, reach out to us today.

Recovery852 specialises in personal, tailor-made treatment programs for both substance and process addiction. Grant Sanders is a U.S. licensed and internationally accredited addiction professional, specializing in addiction as well as mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.