While many people are struggling through "dry January," a month-long alcohol-free journey, actress Anne Hathaway revealed she has a more ambitious goal: staying sober for the next 18 years. On The Ellen Degeneres Show, she announced that she stopped drinking back in October, and plans to hold off at least until her 2-year-old son is 18.
"I’m going to stop drinking while my son is in my house just because I don’t totally love the way I do it, and he’s getting to an age where he really does need me all the time in the mornings," Hathaway told Ellen. A few brutal hangovers at inappropriate times — while in a meeting with the director of her new movie Serenity, and at school drop-off — solidified her decision. "I wasn’t driving, but I was hungover and that was enough for me. I didn’t love that one," she said.
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Hathaway's attitude toward drinking reflects a larger trend in how moms feel about their alcohol use. In a survey conducted by Parents of more than 1,600 moms, 78% said they drink at least one adult beverage a week, while in three consumes four or more drinks per week. And 10% of those surveyed said they worry that their alcohol intake has a negative effect on their parenting.
But it doesn’t take a dramatic incident to make people want to change their habits. Some people decide to sober up temporarily because they want to see how not drinking affects their health. Usually, this ends up being a change for the better — even though it can make social situations seem momentarily awkward. Not drinking can improve your sleep, boost your immune system, help with digestion, and reduce your alcohol tolerance overall. And those things are worth it whether you're a mom or not.
Ultimately, a person's decision to stop drinking is a personal one. Cheers to Hathaway for being so open about her own personal choice.