Anyone's child drunk nothing but water at 5?

[SleepingStandingUp]

DS doesn't have a great relationship with food. NG fed from birth, took bottles briefly but fully tube fed by 4 month. Weaned on solids at 6 months but had series of big ops at 10 months that utterly ruined his interest and tolerance for food.
At 5 he still needs tube top ups and his diet is limited but of we go to the pub say we can now feed him - pizza, sausages, beans, peas, chips, buns etc. So if he's like this as an adult he'd not have a great diet but could probably pass for just a bit picky"

However since 4 months he's not drank anything but water bar 1 sit of my iced latte when he was about 3 and a sip of DHs coke at 4. One sip, funny face, back to water. I worry that this will make his stand out more as he gets older.

So the teenagers all go to Macdonald's or when they go to parties and at best are drinking coke, or older when they're at the pub etc. I just can't see it ever changing and I worry he'll get picked on and ostracized.

So has anyone's liquid diet been that extreme and got over it? How?

My Dd is 15 & only drinks water. I’m sure people think I don’t let her have anything else but it’s totally her choice. I think some of her friends find it surprising but it’s never been an issue

It's very healthy just drinking water. My 15 year old nephew will only drink water. I don't think anyone's ever made fun of him!

Mine did from what I remember. Then grandparents introduced him to lemonade about which I was not happy but they took no notice.

He had milk on cereal but didn't drink a glass of milk.

Ate like a horse and a good variety of food and fruit.

He grew up fine.

DS is 18. Drinks milk and water only. I'm sure he will discover beer at uni but who know.

Mine is 6 and has only ever had water. She can’t abide milk on cereal or anything either.

My 17 year old only drinks water and I'm delighted! I have never drunk fizzy drinks myself and prefer to stick to water. My younger two do like juice and squash unfortunately, but I tend not to buy it.

@nancy75

My Dd is 15 & only drinks water. I’m sure people think I don’t let her have anything else but it’s totally her choice. I think some of her friends find it surprising but it’s never been an issue

Thank you, that's good to read. That's the kind of age and a bit younger I guess I worry about

You should be happy about it. Mine is 3. Only drinks water and milk. I hope to keep it that way. I don't understand why parents get the young into juices or soft drinks.

My DDS BF at the age of 20 has only drunk water, he hates juices an fixzzy drinks, may have a cup of tea though and assuming he had milk as a baby

I just stick to wine and coffee

Those with teens, do they have a varied diet otherwise? Would they drink a hot drink or milkshake or fizzy frink etc of there were no water or go without?

@eyesbiggerthanstomach

You should be happy about it. Mine is 3. Only drinks water and milk. I hope to keep it that way. I don't understand why parents get the young into juices or soft drinks.

But he doesn't drink milk either and with his other food issues it's impossible to get enough calories into him. Of he'd drink milk I'd be blooming thrilled!

We only have milk, water or wine in this house. They have apple juice with breakfast but not for the toddler just the 3 age 8+

DS13 only drinks water too even at school, I would hate him to have fizzy juice habitually. They have a milkshake or Fanta if we go out for dinner.

It's not kids but one of my friends drinks only water other than an occasional glass of juice or coke at events. DH is similar and drinks water 75+% of the time.

DS2 is 19. He drinks other drinks now but between the ages of about 5 & 17 he only drank water. And I mean only water. It did him absolutely no harm. It was totally his choice as we have always had other things in the house.

Don't encourage him to drink anything but water! And don't worry about how it will look when he gets older, no issue whatsoever. I'd be concentrating on getting him to eat a wide range of healthy food though, that will get harder as he gets older.

Dd would have a milkshake at a push, would go without rather than have a fizzy drink or fruit juice.
She is quite a fussy eater but has got a bit better with age (probably started trying a bit more around age 11/12 I think)

@Dontstepinthecowpat

We only have milk, water or wine in this house. They have apple juice with breakfast but not for the toddler just the 3 age 8+

DS13 only drinks water too even at school, I would hate him to have fizzy juice habitually. They have a milkshake or Fanta if we go out for dinner.

Does ds13 have water when the others have milkshake or Fanta?

@CoffeeRunner

DS2 is 19. He drinks other drinks now but between the ages of about 5 & 17 he only drank water. And I mean only water. It did him absolutely no harm. It was totally his choice as we have always had other things in the house.

Thanks coffee, this is what I mean- totally, exclusively not well he drinks only water except for.... Did his friends tease him or anyone take the piss out of him for it or did they just a cept it was one of his things that made him him? What changed at 17?

@Sarcobaleno

Don't encourage him to drink anything but water! And don't worry about how it will look when he gets older, no issue whatsoever. I'd be concentrating on getting him to eat a wide range of healthy food though, that will get harder as he gets older.

Yes well that's easier said than done and his willingness to ingest milk would be helpful in getting him off tube feeds 😔

@nancy75

Dd would have a milkshake at a push, would go without rather than have a fizzy drink or fruit juice. She is quite a fussy eater but has got a bit better with age (probably started trying a bit more around age 11/12 I think)

Thanks

I have a friend who only drinks water and tea. The tea is a new addition. No issues at all. She wasn't teased growing up (or at least not about that). She'll sometimes try something else but just doesn't like it. That obviously doesn't help right now but hopefully helps put your mind at ease a little for the future.

DS drinks water 99% of the time. Occasionally will have a fruit smoothie, but hates fizzy drinks, hot drinks and milky drinks.

I drink a lot of coffee and tea, but only drink water as a cold drink. Never juice or fizzy drinks. So just water at school, playdates etc until I was old enough for my friends' mums to offer me a cup of tea. Nobody has ever teased me about it. They were probably relieved I just wanted tap water and not Specific Fizzy Drink they didn't have in.

Thank you, o do feel more reassured as o lie here unable to sleep worrying about of he'll ever drink beer and why the baby keeps SCREAMING in his bloody sleep 😂😂😂

Dd is almost 19 and only drinks water. She doesn’t like any other drink and never did. She eats practically anything going but if there was no water then she wouldn’t drink!
Honestly has never been a problem in any way.
Ds however drinks lemonade at every chance!

Middle of the night is the worst time to be stewing on worries about your child's life. Almost everything you worry about at this hour is going to be slightly unreasonable

It's really natural that with all his food issues you'll feel anxious but try to just take things as they come, and deal with each problem as it arises. There's no reason to think he'll have awful friends who laugh at him for drinking water. Most friends even as teenagers are decent and understanding and they all know each others' little quirks. And perhaps your little man will be bolder and more confident than you think, and any teasing might be water off a duck's back.