to let DD have only water/milk to drink?

[NormaSknockers]

Because my SIL in particular seems to think I am!

DD is 3 next week & has always had water to drink during the day, at meal times etc & then a cup of milk at bedtime.

It's what she's always known, if she asks for a drink she knows it will be water & doesn't think anything of it. If we go out then I usually take a bottle of water with me for her. Occassionaly she'll have some orange/apple juice & as a special treat she gets 'pink milk' (small drop of strawberry milkshake in her milk).

It's not like she NEVER has anything else but admittidly very rarely.

When we go to partys etc she'll just usually have the water we brought with us but obviously if she's offered juice then she can have that I don't take it off her but she knows it's a treat.

Anyway (sorry waffling) my SIL seems to think I'm most odd for not letting DD have fizzy drinks etc etc & is forever trying to sneak Lemonade/Cherryade/anything fizzy to DD behind my back when we have family events etc & gets really stroppy about it if I tell her DD isn't allowed it.

I really don't see the issue, surely the fact that DD mainly drinks water is a good thing?

AI really B that U?

[gladders]

tricky one. we all know water and milke are the be options for their teeth, so we ecourage them to drink those.

but - to outlaw the other options is dangerous. forbidden fruit and all that.

maybe let her try these other drinks at the family parties, but still under your 'special treat' philosophy? - not to keep your SIL happy (it's nothing to do with her) but just to help keep the balance and stop your daughter becoming a soft drink jun kie the minute she's allowed to make her own choices?

[GentlyDidIt]

No, YANBU. Sounds sensible to me to give sugary drinks as an occassional treat, particulary with a toddler.

If SIL is trying to "sneak" fizzy drinks to your DD, then she is BU.

[Overmydeadbody]

YABNU

Of course drinking water is a good thing, and a good habit for children to get into when they are thirsty.

My DS hardly ever drinks juice or squash as I just never have it in the house. I have had to ask my parents to keep the juice out of his reach when he visits as they always have a fridge full of the stuff and he can drink three glasses in a row if left to his own devises! and then he's not hungry...

Stick to your guns, your DD is still too young imo for fizzy drinks anyway.

[NormaSknockers]

gladders they're not outlawed as such, she does have others drinks just very occassionly.

[nancy75]

yanbu, dd is 4 and will only drink water or milk, we never gave her fruit juice when she was younger and now she just doesn't like it. i do get funny looks from some people when i say she will have water instead of squash - they dont believe its her choice.

[NormaSknockers]

Over that's the point I try to make to SIL too, DD is not yet 3 & IMO to young for fizzy drinks. I know once she's older & at more parties etc fizzy drinks will be available but right now I feel she's to young, glad I'm not alone in that thinking!

[arolf]

although YANBU regarding a 3 year old, please bear in mind that - as the others have said - forbidden fruits become oh so tempting when the child grows up! My siblings and I were never allowed fizzy drinks as kids, and then when I was about 12 or 13 (I'm the oldest), we got them only on very special occasions - consequently, all 4 of us now guzzle any coca cola product (or the like) we can find. Other friends of ours who could drink whatever they liked, whenever, don't have the same need for fizz that we do!

[NormaSknockers]

My mum was exatly the same arolf not just with fizzy drinks, but sweets, cakes etc etc so I have done exactly the same & gone mad on the stuff since.

Right now I think DD is to young & as such she's not allowed it, once she's older that's different as she'll have it at parties & friends houses etc (we don't buy it else I drink it all )

[Overmydeadbody]

Nothing wrong with keeping juice, squash and fizzy drinks to a minimum and have them as occasional drinks, that's not the same as them becoming 'forbidden fruits'.

My ds didn't have any fizzy drinks till he was 5, I really don't think they are suitable for younger kids.

Your SIL needs to respect your decision.

[HuffwardlyRudge]

YANBU. I know a child who only ever drank water. Very healthy. Other drinks are not necessary, and if your dd is happy then great.

[roulade]

Fizzy drinks are just teeth rotters, i will not allow my ds ( almost 3 ) any until he is much older. My mum never had it in the house and my 4 sisters and i very rarely drink them at all now so they are definately not forbidden fruits IME

[spicemonster]

No, YANBU unreasonable at all - fizzy drinks (even water) are very bad for teeth. My DS has juice occasionally but he knows it's a treat. If your DD is happy with water/milk for the timebeing (and I accept that may change), why give her anything else? I don't get that

[Bumperlicioso]

I don't think it is precious at all, if your DD is happy with just water and milk then I don't see the problem. For your SIL to try sneaking her fizzy, that is completely out of order. I hate it when people try and undermine your parenting decisions. It's probably just guilt on her part, she's trying to make herself feel better.

My DD is two and only has milk and water, and occasionally juice, she doesn't know any different.

[junglist1]

My 2 are allowed water, milk,and pure fruit juices. At parties I think you have to be a bit more lenient. And FWIW I think your SIL is most odd for trying to rot childrens teeth deliberately. Are her teeth OK?

[happywomble]

YANBU - your sil is mad to offer a fizzy drink to a three year old.

Milk and water are the best options for healthy teeth - stick to them for as long as possible.

My eldest is 7 and if he is offered squash at a party will always ask for water - he prefers it.

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

YANBU at all. I was exactly the same until recently with Dd 2.6 and now she also occasionally has very milky decaff tea.

My Ds is nearly 11 and doesn't drink fizzy very often either and if he does, it'll be lemonade, not coke. I never even buy fizzy stuff. It helps that I don't like it anymore and they don't see me drinkig it. I once bought a drink for Ds and a woman gave me a horrified look when I asked for a bottle of water for him. It was the sort of look I'd have expected to get if I'd said 'I'd like a Gin and tonic for my 4 year old please'. Seriously!

You are looking after your childs health, teeth and nutrition and I'm really glad to hear I'm not the only one. People think I'm odd because of it.

Years ago one of my friends son's decided to cut out the fizzy drinks and he slimmed right down from being quite overweight at around age 15/16. Just shows how bad this stuff is for you.

Stick to your guns and tell SIL to mind her own business.

[talbot]

We have milk, water and fruit Juice only on weekdays and then orange squash with evening meals at weekends. Fizzy drinks are only for meals out at restaurants (not often) and that only started when my DS was 7.

[giraffesCantRunA10k]

YANBU. Its great she drinks water.

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Spicemonster, why do you say water is very bad for teeth? I'm certain it's not!!

[VinegarTits]

YANBU my ds1(19) never had fizzy drinks or tea and coffee as a child and still doesnt drink them today, guess what? hes survived! and doesnt feel deprived in any way, he still drinks milk like its going out of fashion though

My xmil thinks its weird that ds2(3) dinks so much water the other day my DM asked if he wanted lemonade and he said 'whats lemonade nanny? can i have some water please'

[roulade]

I think she meant fizzy water SOLO

[LoveBeingAMummy]

DD is 15 mths and I do this and will carry on my mum thinks its werid but hey my brother used to drink litres of coke a day so don't think shes the best model!

[spicemonster]

Yep fizzy drinks are not good for teeth, even water

The fizz is acidic

[LightShinesInTheDarkness]

YANBU - she is only 3 and as she gets older you will probably find it harder to control what she eats and drinks anyway.

You have instilled good habits - good on you.