to think that thanking your own organic juice to give to your child at a party because you disapprove of the squash provided by the hosts us just rude?

[OhBuggerandArse]

Obviously I don't think I'm being unreasonable and would really just like you all to join me in my disgruntled ire. But go on, give it a shot at putting the other side of the story. No behavioural issues involved, if anyone was wondering whether that might be a possible tactic.

Fruit juice has just as much sugar in it as squash. Yet you rarely see parents worried about their PFBs becoming hyperactive after organic orange juice.

AND fruit juice can knacker the enamel on your teeth- as I found out the hard way . Watered down squash is likely to be less harmful.

There's a possibility the child actually didn't like squash. I guess some parents will pretend their child prefers the 'healthy' option, but some actually do - as a child, I thought (80s) squash was grim. I liked fizzy drinks when I discovered them later and I like juice, but still think squash, especially weak squash, is quite grim.

Thinking about it's probably partly the higher acidity in juice and fizzy drinks that make them taste nice to me - which probably isn't great for teeth.

I agree ninja. I still won't touch orange squash.

I do drink Ribena, but only hot, I can't stand it cold

Even if you don't encourage children to drink squash at home, I think most children can understand that there are different rules for parties. I'd say if the child dislikes squash and asks for water instead, that's OK but if the parent rejects the squash in favour of juice they've brought themselves, that's rude

I took DD to a party one time and there was only fizzy juice for the kids to drink so I took DD out to the vending machine and bought her a bottle of water.
I dont mind her having squash (preferably if it's sugar free) but never anything fizzy nor even at a party

At what age will you "allow" your child to have a drink then? Will you be sitting guarding her until she is 18?

"I guess all the kids taking their water bottles to school to keep them hydrated during classes are wasting their time..."

Totally unrelated to the discussion at hand but when did this change? I was at primary school in the 90s and I remember water being actively restricted - no water bottles on tables, if you asked to go for a drink mid-lesson you'd be refused, admonished for not doing so at break time and at then at break time a TA would stand by the water fountain and count you ten seconds of drinking before sending you back out to play.

"At what age will you "allow" your child to have a drink then? Will you be sitting guarding her until she is 18?"

Indeed. When they are 18 they will be vomiting up pools of snakebite and black and ingesting kebabs of dubious provenance. Puts a sip of lemonade at parties into perspective.

I think most kids, even from a very young age, can understand that party food/drinks are a treat and just because you have it once it doesn't mean you have it every day. I'm the same at people's houses, they just have whatever is on offer, if they want it. If it's not so healthy I make up for it at home, it's no biggie.

3yo DD1 went through a massive squash phase but these days seems to prefer water. I don't mind her drinking either

It seems a bit silly when its only for a one off. Drinking squash at a party no matter how many chemicals it has in it will not harm anyone.

However if said kid is now used to juice he/she may not drink squash and may also hate water. In which case its fair enough to not want the kid to go thirsty.

Yes, it's bloody rude. You either embrace parties in their entirety (sausage rolls, squash and SUGAR) on the grounds that it's not every day, or even most days, or you keep your little pvb at home in their little bubble. Allergies aside, bringing your own anything to a party catered by someone else is ill-mannered and arsey.

Yeah, it's pretty rude to replace a host's food or drink. It's fine, however, to bring a contribution and place it on a communal table, and ask your DCs to use that if they can.

Adults do it at my house, say, if they only drink cider, because I only supply wine and beer. That's not rude, it's sensible. Or they might bring extra.

But if someone arrived with their own wine and said 'I have brought this because I do not agree with or like what you yourself are supplying,' I would think them snobby and twattish.

my DS has five lovely DCs - they live abroad in a huge house and are not short of money, Bil's salary , she has never had to work!
They love coming to stay with us in our crowded flat and actually being allowed to eat the occasional biscuit or chip. Recently the second youngest asked for a drink and when offered HiJuice or water said that they weren't allowed cheap juice, only proper fruit juice or fizzy water. She asked why I didn't give my DCs fizzy water instead of tap water like mama does, and I just said because i can't afford to. Strangely, between the three of my DCs- two now in their late teens/early 20s they have had only one filling and are disgustingly healthy so I must be doing something right!

"Personally, I think it is rude to offer squash to guests! It's full of additives and sweeteners and is not a suitable "drink" for any child."

Oh dear.
a) It isn't rude as far as I know
b) Not necessarily. I don't buy cheap squash, preferring to go for the full sugar high juice option.
c) We will have to agree to disagree. DD (aged 11) drinks squash. She will also happily drink water or milk.

When DD has a friend over I always offer water, squash or milk to drink.

I do loathe squash, really, but am resigned to it.
So I wouldn't think it rude, but I'd have a right snigger to myself about the PFBness of it.

Bloody hell, even if they go to 2 parties every weekend, 2 glasses of juice is not going to kill them. Yes all children have their preferences, tantrums blah blah, but if you leave them to eat/drink with their friends, it's only 2 hours fgs.
I hate aspartame with a passion, and DS never has fizzy drinks, but I'm really not going to make a fuss at a party. If he sat there and refused all food and drink, it's still not the end if the world, just feed him the usual when you get home.

What countries is squash totally unacceptable in? Is it banned? What happens if you give it to a child?

When you accept an invitation to a child's party you are accepting that there may be foods and drink there that you wouldnt normally give to your child.

If I went to a party where the only thing provided was plain rice cakes, hummous and apple chips, I would let my DCs get on with it and feed them later.

I wouldnt pop over to Maccy D's and bring over a few happy meals just because I thought that was more suitable (I dont but you get what I mean).

Squash given on one day at one party will not harm a child if they have no medical issues.

It will not cancel out all the organic stuff they have been given since weaning. Food isnt like that. Your efforts are not all spoilt by a chip or a sip of coke.

I cant bear food snobbery. Healthy diet - fab, using food as a way of asserting your superiour parenting - pathetic.

Some squashes have metabisulphites in, which make many people with asthma wheeze. I never buy squash, our dcs don't like it, probably because they didn't have it when little. They drink water, milk and tea or fruit juice, one of them likes coke but I don't buy it, they have it at other peoples' parties.

I would never take other drinks to a party, but I'm fairly sure our dcs would ask for water if offered squash.

Hmmmm....... personally I think YABU - my daughter doesn't drink squash so I usually take her beaker with me wherever we go with a drink in it - she is 2. I wouldnt turn my nose up at water though!

It would have been unreasonable for the mum to expect you to provide the said organic juice - but if she came with her own I don't think that is unreasonable at all.

dons hard hat

My DS won't drink fizzy drinks or squash. So I would probably bring him some dilute juice to avoid him getting dehydrated.

I couldn't give a fuck if you think that's precious :)

Actually IME weak hi-juice squash with no artificial sweeteners is the very best thing for refreshing me when I've been exercising heavily, better than either water or 100% juice. For a mad soft play party I'd offer either that or those little bottles of watered down juice depending on the demographic of the attendees.

Would a child dehydrate in a couple of hours in Novemember then? I assume there would be water available that a child would drink before it became a medical emergency.

If a child is a fussy eater I assume most people wouldn't take them a packed lunch - the child would just have to pick at what was on offer for a couple of hours when they are likely to be more interested in playing anyway - they won't keel over.

It's pfb either way - either the mum won't allow even occasional squash to pass her darlings lips or they are pandering to them only drinking one drink for fear they will dehydrate.

I'm the most un-precious person ever about this type of stuff but my dd has severe psoriasis and eczema and we have found anything with aspartame aggravates it to the extent that it is bleeding and sore by the evening at times. Sugar is fine, full sugar coke, ribena, whatever, but it's these dreadful 'sugar free' squashes that do it (even sugar free calpol ) I have therefore had to train dd to say no to certain things, sometimes take her own or otherwise have water which is no problem.

All in all I think it's pretty rude if it's a PFB precious thing, but it could be another reason. I'm all for letting them indulge in the sugar-fest that parties are, what's the point otherwise, they need some fun in their lives

The only exception I would say would be if you had a child with sn or an actual diagnosed allergy - not just imagined hyperactivity if they so much as glance at a bottle of Robnsons!

Crabapple the word 'hydrate' means to 'add water', so how can water not hydrate?