In South Africa, Liquor woven into the rhythms of everyday life. It symbolizes celebration, reduces stress, and, for many, signals relaxation, especially on a long weekend like Easter. Yet behind that familiarity lies a cooler, more complex reality. Approximately 43% of South Africans who drink alcohol do so to excess, and while this statistic often seems abstract, the impact it can have can be devastating, especially for children.
When I stopped drinking I understood this differently. This was not a dramatic turn, just a gradual change. What surprised me most was not what I missed, but what I started to notice. Without a drink in hand, you become more aware of the small dynamics around you, how quickly the tone of meetings can change, how attention can wander, how responsibility can blur around the edges. It's not that people stop caring; The point is that alcohol can silently counter the level of caution that children need.
And this is where this conversation becomes important.
About 3,000 babies are born every day in South Africa. Their well-being depends not only on policy or programmes, but also on the environment in which they grow up, on homes, families and communities. Mesuli Kama, network mobilization lead at Hold My Hand, points to the National Strategy for Accelerating Action for Children, approved by Cabinet in December, which is a framework that puts child protection at the centre. It prioritizes protection from violence, injury and harmful substances, but it also recognizes something more fundamental: that protecting children is a shared responsibility.
Campaigns such as the DG Murray Trust's Rethink Your Drink are attempting to open up this space for reflection. Their message is not about prohibition, but about awareness, recognizing that heavy drinking, especially when normalized, can adversely affect family life. Alcohol-related harm is a major contributor to the burden of disease in South Africa, from road accidents to long-term health conditions. But beyond the data, everyday moments matter just as much.
Kashifa Ensor, who managed the campaign, explains how alcohol is often seen as part of the holiday atmosphere, something expected, even expected. Yet for some children those same moments may seem unexpected or upsetting. The point is not that every social drinking causes harm, but rather that the context matters: who is present, who is responsible, and whether children are being actively supervised.
There are practical considerations that often come into sharper focus during the holidays. Alcohol-related traffic incidents remain a leading cause of injury to children, making driving decisions and who is behind the wheel especially important. The same applies to surveillance around water, whether in a pool, river or ocean, where a lapse in attention can have serious consequences. Health guidance is also clear when it comes to pregnancy: no amount of alcohol is considered safe.
None of this is about taking pleasure away from social spaces. If anything, it's about making those spaces more intentional. One unexpected benefit I found after I stopped drinking was a different kind of presence, being more available for conversation, more aware of what was going on around me, and more engaged with the children in my life. It wasn't about doing more, just being there fully.
This idea of presence is at the heart of what initiatives like Hold My Hand encourage: using time away from work not only to relax, but also to connect. For children, those moments, of being heard, feeling safe and being able to explore freely, can shape how they experience the world.
At the same time, there is growing recognition that individual choices exist within a broader system. Proposed measures such as restricting alcohol advertising, adjusting pricing and limiting trading hours are part of an ongoing effort to reduce harm at the population level, particularly in communities that bear a disproportionate burden.
But cultural changes tend to happen more quietly than sweeping changes in everyday decisions.
Perhaps the most useful starting point is not judgment, but curiosity. What does a safe, attentive environment for children look like in practice? How do we balance relaxation with responsibility? And what small adjustments might make a difference, whether it's choosing not to drink alcohol in certain situations, walking at a different pace, or simply being more mindful of who is dependent on us?
Because at the end of the day, it's not about taking anything away. It's about adding something: a little more awareness, a little more care, and a shared commitment to making everyday environments a little safer for the smallest among us.
personal Finance