Juice in school

Oh definitely just buy a different bottle - not a battle worth fighting! I have one dd who happily drinks water and takes it in a transparent bottle - the other really doesn't like the taste of water so takes no added sugar squash in an opaque bottle. Works fine for them, they both stay hydrated, and no headache for the teachers!

Remember everyone juice is a gateway drug 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

it’s not about the juice , it’s about a teacher teaching my child it’s okay to bend rules as long as no one knows about it . She is an anxious child and she doesn’t want to be doing something she shouldn’t do 🥂. It has never been an issue before but this year it seems to be a problem

This doesn't make sense, she doesn't want to be doing something she shouldn't but she is bringing juice in which is against the official 'rules'. Which in your mind is somehow fine if it's in a clear bottle as it's obvious she's breaking the rules but not okay to be a bit more discreet and have it in a non clear water bottle so other children don't start asking why it is okay for your child to have juice but not them.

So, to summarize, you are okay with your DD being a rule breaker but only if it's out in the open? The teacher is trying to be accommodating to your child as obviously they do not want your child distressed by not drinking all day but they understandably don't want to open the flood gates unnecessarily to others who are not having the same issues. It's perfectly reasonable as a compromise

Doesn't matter how sporty a child is if they don't drink water? they're constantly dehydrated.

He's being lenient, accept the compromise and put in a coloured bottle. Or better yet send water.

We had the opposite problem - when DC were at primary school, they weren't allowed to bring in the coloured bottles that I had unknowingly bought them, in case they were bringing in squash in disguise! I had to buy new clear ones, as like the OP's DD they hated to break rules. We never had squash at home, or sent to school, they both drink water most of the time now, but love a fizzy drink given half the chance.

Some people, I am one, don't like water. Some water in fact makes me thirsty. For water to hydrate us it needs electrolytes in it. Tap water has been stripped of its natural minerals and electrolytes.

@MinervaMcGonagallsCat it’s a school rule, simple as that. Along with uniform, start time, break time, end time, queueing up for things, not hitting each other etc etc. If you don’t like it, home school your child. Or alternatively, thank your lucky stars you have a nice teacher who’s prepared to give you a way of having what you want without him/her having to object.

Bizarrely OP still isn’t happy.

Accept the compromise of the opaque bottle or follow the rule of water only. This is not a hill to die on. It's not even a hill.

The teacher is not obliged to offer this compromise, it is not a medical/ additional needs reason to require a reasonable adjustment. The teacher is offering a simple solution that gives everyone a quieter life, something that can be too rare in life, but is valuable.

Water bottles in schools (or everywhere else!) is a relatively recent thing. Through my 80s-90s school years, fluid intake was a small cup of water at lunch and possibly a few gulps from the fountain in the toilets. It was a standard set up. 30 years on, there isn't an epidemic of middle-aged people with failing kidneys.

DS is autistic. He doesn't want to drink in school because he doesn't want to use toilets in school, or carry the weight and bulk of a bottle. He drinks a small cup in the morning and drinks well in the evenings. He's fine. Most healthy people don't need to to be permanently sipping all day every day.

This

Exactly- I cannot comprehend that we’re in a situation where anyone “won’t drink water”.

It’s like saying “I don’t like air, I have to breathe specially scented air” - except scented air wouldn’t be bad for you!

Schools in England get far too involved in parenting decisions. Totally ridiculous.

I don’t think I’d make an issue out of this and have a confrontation with the teacher so near the start of term. Just get a different bottle. Less likely to make other kids want juice if their parents are sticking with water.

To be fair, there’s plenty of ‘looks like plain water’ fruit drink options if the OP’s daughter won’t change her bottle. Bet half the class are already doing that.

What, exactly, is the issue with just getting her a non clear bottle? Such a non issue.

Buy a non clear bottle

It’s not about the juice it’s about the hypocrisy of saying you can’t have juice it’s against school standards. But if you put it on a non clear bottle it’s fine! What is that teaching our children?

The hypocrisy has only arisen because they are trying to keep your face straight because you are already whining after a week at school and they cba dealing with you. They have been down this path before of ruined kids and indulgent parents saying their children “can’t” follow the rules and must have them bent so they are bending them. You don’t want them bent because it’s hypocritical and teaches your dd to be sneaky - fair enough, I wouldn’t want my kid thinking she can do what she likes one week into school either. Stop bending the rules and send her with water and your problem disappears. She can’t have juice - it’s against the rules. They don’t want 10 parents in tomorrow saying “I don’t want my kid mithering me for juice, why is Princess Furbar swigging juice in class?” So they were willing to compromise so your kid can break the rule without winding everyone up but you aren’t happy with that so don’t do it.

The school rule is 'water only'.
The teacher is willing to turn a blind eye because they have so much more shit to be dealing with.
If it's very obviously juice/squash in a clear bottle they have to say something.
Stop being so ridiculously defiant, get a new bottle or give your child flavoured water. If you're so concerned your child is anxious about breaking the rules enforce the 'water only' rule. You can't have it both ways. Save your ire for something important.

I just popped on here to add that when I worked in a sports centre the biggest problem we had with the beautiful and expensive sprung wooden basketball court was that people splilled fizzy drinks and juice on it.
Let me tell you both have a huge amount of sugar and other things in them which literally stripped the varnish off the floor!
I stopped drinking both until the image of those dried black messes faded from my memory. Honestly both as bad as each other they dry black and they strip varnish think what that does to a child's stomach and intestines. Or yours.

It really isn't. It cotains a lot of sugar and should be diluted 1 part juice to 4 parts water.

You can start diluting it slowly so she doesn't notice and her taste buds will adapt gradually.

When my now husband first moved in, he would not drink undiluted orange juice and it was costing a lot of money. I asked him to dilute it and he said he would rather not have anything. However, I persisted and now he can't drink undiluted juice as it is far too sweet.

Have you even met children? Of course they make the most godawful mess, even with the best water bottles in the world.

And of course school lunches need to be better. However, we have to start somewhere!

Although these threads show us that even if we had the most nutritious three Michellin star school meals, there would be parents rioting at the lack of chicken nuggets.

Hierarchy? Adults set the rules, little shits follow the rules, non? Juice is just juice, dietary preference, I would never condone parents' flouting the uniform rules, the appearance (no jewellery) rules, class behaviour rules.

every single day is a ‘empty calories’ pudding choice (sponge, cookies, donuts, ice cream)

There are rules about what these are made with and be assured, they arent "empty calories". Children need carbohydrates, more so than adults, and these desserts often also provide necessary fats, vitamins (particularly the fat soluble vitamins) protein from milk & egg & calcium.

Those puddings are described the way they are to be palatable to children. You'll find they are made with nutritious ingredients including flours, eggs, dairy, fruit, veg like carrots, beetroot & courgette. If there's any sugar the quantity will be low as school dinners must meet specific guidelines in this respect.

People are so touchy about the term "pudding" or "dessert". Its a second course providing extra calories for growing children, its incredibly expensive to provide enough calories solely via things like meat/fish/fresh vegetables, wouldn't be a complete & healthy diet anyway.

These desserts can be prepared in advance with nutritious ingredients, are easy to transport, store & serve, and are palatable to children. They aren't an issue.

Why are you making such an issue? If you want your child to follow the rules then send in water or flavoured water. If you don't want to follow the rules then send in juice in a non clear bottle.
Perhaps if another teacher or the head saw your child had juice your child and the teacher would get in trouble.
Can't you just follow a simple rule?

Teachers don't agree with all the rules set by schools. If your child has a clear bottle with juice in it then SLT will ask him/her why they are not enforcing the school rule. The teacher is just giving you a way to get what you want, juice and they get what they want an easier life.

Never underestimate peer on peer jealousy of Smiggle water bottles, branded or cool lunch boxes, hair accessories and children whose parents insisting on water realising other children are bringing in juice because it is glaringly obvious.

You seem to be coming at this from a combative position. Just give her flavoured water or juice in a non-clear bottle and be grateful this is the only issue you have with your child's school or did you miss the my child and the whole class were in the corridor with their teacher with one child being dealt with in the classroom being encouraged to make good choices?

Better yet, volunteer in school jumping through the DBS checks and usually some kind of training and see the reality inside a primary school day to day with this sort of bullshit from parents.

It would also be a choice to explain to all parents and children? These are the 'rules' that sensible teachers turn a blind eye to, because in reality they are inconsequential for the school setting. If a child refuses water and only drinks juice, what difference does it make to the class? Teachers are not parents and don't have the responsibility to care about small things, as long as the big picture of a child's wellbeing is assured.