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Original poster

Anyone's child drunk nothing but water at 5?

121 replies

SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 00:27

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?

OP posts:
MessAllOver · 25/12/2020 08:19

My DS 3 has only ever had milk and water at home (though I think he's been offered hot chocolate at nursery). He's never asked for juice or fizzy drinks and they're just not on offer for him in our house.

He may have his own views when he gets older and we won't be banning things in our house but I'd be pleased not upset if he got to age 5 without trying them. Don't understand offering unhealthy drinks to little ones.

melisande99 · 25/12/2020 08:19

Extreme?! Isn't it pretty normal? And you should be glad - there are no positives to a child drinking sweet drinks, it will wreck their teeth for one. I was the same, still am really. For me, water is for quenching thirst, other drinks are for the taste and not a staple.

PandemicPalava · 25/12/2020 08:20

My dd only drank water for years, and she still picks it first at home now. We have other drinks in the cupboards which she is allowed but 95% of her consumption is water at 10 years old. She does have other drinks at parties of other people's houses though

CrustyChrimbo · 25/12/2020 09:03

My son (10) is a fussy eater and only drinks water. He's never been teased about it. He is that kid who doesn't eat any food at parties (doesn't like sarnies, pizza or burgers) . I make sure he eats a good snack before he goes to events and tell the hosts not to pander too much.
He's getting much better with food but I had to do a lot of work on my own anxiety around his eating to get here. We present him with options at his meal, he can choose to eat it or not but there are no snacks or treats if he doesn't.
I'm personally very happy he only drinks water, it's better for him than anything else.

SkedaddIe · 25/12/2020 09:28

Your ds might have a sophisticated palate and it's a very very healthy thing. Basically he doesn't prefer salt and sugar like most people.

Try experimenting with different vegetables, fruit grains and legumes. Don't use salt to cook and try both raw and cooked foods. Make it fun and be proud.

jewel1968 · 25/12/2020 11:18

2 of mine only drink water. Both have fab teeth. One drank sweet drinks - lots of trips to dentist. The one who drank sweet drinks also had bad relationship with food to do with health issues. Reasonably broad diet now and mostly drinks water.

Original poster
SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 12:02

@melisande99

Extreme?! Isn't it pretty normal? And you should be glad - there are no positives to a child drinking sweet drinks, it will wreck their teeth for one. I was the same, still am really. For me, water is for quenching thirst, other drinks are for the taste and not a staple.
You think it's pretty normal a 5 yo doesn't even drink milk and hasn't since he was a babe in arms? Cos not from the kids I know that isn't.
OP posts:
Original poster
SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 12:04

@SkedaddIe

Your ds might have a sophisticated palate and it's a very very healthy thing. Basically he doesn't prefer salt and sugar like most people.

Try experimenting with different vegetables, fruit grains and legumes. Don't use salt to cook and try both raw and cooked foods. Make it fun and be proud.

Trust me if it's solid, he's Def got a sweet tooth and is rather partial to salty crisps. It's just liquids as there's a sensory thing there's. Same with things like yougurts and ice cream
OP posts:
Original poster
SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 12:05

@CrustyChrimbo

My son (10) is a fussy eater and only drinks water. He's never been teased about it. He is that kid who doesn't eat any food at parties (doesn't like sarnies, pizza or burgers) . I make sure he eats a good snack before he goes to events and tell the hosts not to pander too much. He's getting much better with food but I had to do a lot of work on my own anxiety around his eating to get here. We present him with options at his meal, he can choose to eat it or not but there are no snacks or treats if he doesn't. I'm personally very happy he only drinks water, it's better for him than anything else.
I'm obv happy he's not guzzling down sugar but it's not like he has milk or anything else similar. Yes agree about the anxiety, he declared yesterday he didn't like eating any more (boundary pushing) but it just presses so many buttons for me
OP posts:
Original poster
SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 12:06

@MessAllOver

My DS 3 has only ever had milk and water at home (though I think he's been offered hot chocolate at nursery). He's never asked for juice or fizzy drinks and they're just not on offer for him in our house.

He may have his own views when he gets older and we won't be banning things in our house but I'd be pleased not upset if he got to age 5 without trying them. Don't understand offering unhealthy drinks to little ones.

I'm not just talking about unhealthy drinks, he doesn't touch milk either
OP posts:
Original poster
SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 12:07

@Reallynotavailable

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 Thanks

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.

Thank you xx that's just made me a bit teary. You're right, none of th tease him about his O2, they barely even reigster it as it's just D and who he is so hopefully it'll be the same
OP posts:
Original poster
SleepingStandingUp · 25/12/2020 12:09

@Sarcobaleno

I'm really sorry, teaches me for commenting without reading the question properly and being an insensitive cow. That sounds tough, apologies and good luck Daffodil
Thank you and no worries, I was probably a bit snarkier than I intended too x
OP posts:
SouthernComforts · 25/12/2020 12:13

Hi OP, my dd was NG fed as a baby and toddler and also has a bad/no relationship with food as a result, she's 11 now and it's still an issue. She drinks milk, apple juice, hot chocolate and diet coke (occasionally)!

She mostly just drinks the pediasure calorie milkshakes though.

StormyInTheNorth · 25/12/2020 12:28

Milk and water here at almost 6. She likes a hot chocolate, but only the cream and marshmallow bit, she'll not touch any of the drink.

It is a healthy habit to drink water. I wish I could train myself more. I drink coffee or diet coke. The diet coke from being about 10. My brother was given sunny d as a drink to take to bed/middle of night. His teeth enamel is wrecked at 30.

Forestdweller11 · 25/12/2020 13:05

My 13 year old drinks water most of the time. Drinks it by the gallon. Is never without a water bottle. Occasionally drinks a fizzy orange, a j20 or hot chocolate. She never had a anything but water to drink until she was about 7.

I think at school they are encouraged to keep hydrated. It not unusual to have water.

Heartlantern2 · 25/12/2020 13:08

I’m in my 30s and only drink water and tea. My kids only drink water too....it’s a good thing!

Julestherabbit · 25/12/2020 13:09

My DC 10&8 mostly only drink water. They will drink squash or juice if offered, but don’t like fizzy drinks and turn them down at parties. Never been an issue.

Heartlantern2 · 25/12/2020 13:10

Just seen your worried about teasing.

I’ve only ever had people tell me and my kids they wish they were more like that, rather than being made fun off. I really wouldn’t worry if I was you, it’s a non issue and people don’t acknowledge it negatively.

sundaysupperclub · 25/12/2020 13:41

Is this a stealth boast? Grin
All the trendy twenty olds olds I work with only drink water....makes the tea round a lot quicker!
Most parents would love their children only to drink water! Great for their teeth, your dentist will be very happy and so would Jamie Oliver!

starfish4 · 25/12/2020 13:48

I really wouldn't worry, it's good for him. DD would only drink water for years, discovered hot chocolate at 13 and lots of different teas and coffees at 16/17. At 18, she's discovered alcohol.

BillysMyBunny · 25/12/2020 15:53

I wouldn’t worry. The good thing is that water is healthy and freely available so even if he’s in a situation where everybody else is getting milkshake/ cola etc he can at least still get a drink and join in. 5 is also very young, it’s common for children at this age to be very fussy/ picky even without the history of being tube fed that your son has. It sounds like your son has made loads of progress in terms of eating over the last 4 years, I bet there was a time you worried he may never be able to eat in a pub/ restaurant and you say now it is possible. It is unlikely he will now stop making any more progress with food but rather its likely he will be more willing to try new flavours or textures of food and drink as he gets older and especially once he is old enough to be influenced by his friends so I wouldn’t be surprised if once he’s in his teens he has expanded his repertoire of drinks to more than just water.

If you’re really worried perhaps you can slowly begin to introduce him to a wider range of drinks than just plain water; milkshake and fizzy drinks are both very different so I wouldn’t start with them but maybe over time he may accept weakly diluted squash or juice. That said water is healthy so as long as he’s getting enough fluids to stay hydrated I really wouldn’t overthink it too much.

LindaEllen · 25/12/2020 16:07

I drank fizzy drinks as a kid but I only drink water now. Nothing wrong with it. If I had a kid who would only drink water and didn't want coke I'd be thrilled!

ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy · 25/12/2020 16:09

Yep. 6yo DS has only had water since weaning. He refuses everything else.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 25/12/2020 16:10

DS is 18 and only drinks water, never drank anything else. He is healthy and no one cares.
If he has to he might drink apple juice, but water is his favourite.

Dairymilkmuncher · 25/12/2020 16:13

Just quick hop on to say I only drank water out through my teens till I found booze too and often when I'm out with friends I'm the one ordering lemonade now while they get water