Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you don't 'buy in' Coca Cola for an 18mo?

77 replies

MortifiedAdams · 28/05/2013 18:02

Even if it IS the Zero one, and try and justify it by saying "well, it IS sugar and caffeine free"

MIL who I like and who adores my DD. All dd drinks is water. DH has promised that she wont give any to DD (MIL has two grandchildren both 18mo) obviously SIL doesnt mind her DS having it which I just do not understand.

OP posts:
sjuperyoni · 28/05/2013 19:57

My dd is 8 and still only drinks water/milk/ weak diluting juice, if she is offered fizzy juice her go to respinse used to be ''no i'm not allowed'' up until age 5 ish when it became ''i'll ask my mum''. She knows to brush her teeth 15/20 mins after too - long enough to not brush off her teeth but not too long to do damage.

She's a good kid, and luckily ds is taking after her - he'll try and take fizzy if we've left a glass lying about but shudders and runs for his 'juice' (water) in his cup :)

23balloons · 28/05/2013 19:57

YANBU my dcs are 12y & 10 y & I wouldn't let them drink coke zero. Nobody needs to be drinking aspartame IMO & ds can't sleep as it is so I wouldn't be happy about the caffeine either. I would have been furious I'd they were given this as a drink as a toddler but I also doubt they would have actually drunk it anyway.

sjuperyoni · 28/05/2013 20:01

For those willing to humph over my describing dd as good - no i'm not saying dc who drink fizzy juice are bad only that i'm glad dd has always listened to me and respected my and eventually our decision regarding her dental health. She loves her 'pretty teeths' :)

miffybun73 · 28/05/2013 20:02

YANBU, I just wouldn't even think of giving it to an 18 month old.

I didn't even realise that anyone of sound mind would do so.

poocatcherchampion · 28/05/2013 20:48

def judge fizzy drinks here. I think its crazy that DD's cousins drink so much fizzy at 5 and 7. dd drinks water, milk - cows and bf, and occasion sips of decaf tea. 15mo. I drink water, milk, tea and wine. seems fair.

pomdereplay · 28/05/2013 21:48

YANBU. That is just utterly grim. 18 months old is still a bloomin' baby... Happy to be judgey about this one.

Notcontent · 28/05/2013 22:02

There are people who think it's ok to give small children food and drink full of sugar, salt, processed fat and/or chemicals. Those people are ignorant or deluded.

SirChenjin · 28/05/2013 22:07

Dear god - for an 18 month baby? Nope, no way. I don't have a problem with fizz as a treat, but to buy in some specifically for a child that young? What's wrong with milk or water?

claig · 28/05/2013 22:39

YANBU.
Absolute crap that contains aspartame. Steer clear in my opinion.

Snazzywaitingforsummer · 28/05/2013 22:46

YANBU. Bad decision to give coke to an 18 mo. Judging on that is perfectly appropriate.

itsonlyapapermoon · 29/05/2013 05:25

YADNBU not only is that crap a chemical shitstorm, its also SOOO high in sodium, making you more thirsty. Definitely not something an 18mo needs. I am quite happy to judge people who give tiny children that stuff on the regular. Our kids have intolerances to artificial colours/flavours/additives, and it affects them monumentally. It pisses me off no end when people (like ex-mil) think it's fine to give them that stuff and don't have to deal with the repercussions. It takes days to come out of their system and in the meantime they are hyperactive, aggressive, can't think clearly and their legs ache. Truly horrible to witness.

itsonlyapapermoon · 29/05/2013 05:28

Meant to add, it does seem to be a grandparent thing. When we visited my (absolutely lovely) inlaws a couple of months back (overseas) and told them beforehand about the children's food intolerances, they were aghast, "If they can't have sweets, what do they eat??!!" ...umm, fruit and vegies? "Yes, but what do they drink???" ...water and milk? Some people do seem genuinely perplexed that kids don't actually need sweets and junkfood in their diets.

meddie · 29/05/2013 05:45

My bloody DM introduced my son to the stuff and she cared for him while I was at work (that and full sugar ribena) He started to refuse milk and water after and it was a nghtmare getting him to drink them again.
The bloody stuff dissolved the lower half of his 2 front teeth and he now has veneers and is looking at implants to repair the damage.
He is 24 and its his biggest regret, he wont touch the stuff as an adult, but the damage was done when he was little.
Don't introduce their palate to it so young its like child crack.

CreatureRetorts · 29/05/2013 07:09

meddie Shock what did your DM have to say for herself?!

helpmesum1 · 29/05/2013 08:59

my dd is 6 yrs and still hasnt had coke and neva wil (eva)

RenterNomad · 29/05/2013 12:52

irsonlyapapermoon, thanks for the tipoff about sodium!

heidihole · 29/05/2013 15:53

YANBU

Good god, i'm flip my lid if anyone gave my 18m old coke

Only water here for my son and he is VERY happy as he knows no other life!

sue52 · 29/05/2013 16:33

YANBU. I'm sure most people would never think of giving coke to an 18 month old.

ChippingInWiredOnCoffee · 29/05/2013 18:49

YADNBU Judge away - the pair of them are bonkers!

OctopusWrangler · 29/05/2013 19:59

One of the mums I used to encounter due to my eldest's social life used to regularly give her 20 month old toddler a supermarket own brand redbull in her bottle. Apparently it was all that would "shut 'er up" when she was whining. On the flip side, she was 'fighting' for an ADHD diagnosis as the poor girl was always bouncing off the walls. She would not accept that the behaviour was linked to the drink:(

My baby likes water, or breastmilk. The six year old likes water and the odd lemonade for a treat. My eldest (10) will drink anything cold, but understands coke is a rare treat.

lottiegarbanzo · 29/05/2013 20:19

Ooh, you gave me a quick jolt of amazement at the power of my own placebo effect there - I sometimes drink coke zero for a mild caffeine fix - but no, it's not caffeine free!

(Maybe there's one that is and that's what you meant).

HorryIsUpduffed · 29/05/2013 21:27

Gold label Coke is caffeine free and tastes like drain cleaner.

I can vaguely understand giving a toddler a drink of cola from your own glass if they looked interested. But I absolutely can't understand buying it in on purpose. Nope, don't get it. Mine reacted to one cup of tea's worth of caffeine filtered into breastmilk, so there's no way I'd cut out the middle man

I am fairly lax about drinks (we drink squash and will have Appletise or fizzy water for parties, or maybe even Fanta) but cola is a step too far. Phosphoric acid should not be put in tiny tummies. Or adult tummies, really.

MoreSnowPlease · 29/05/2013 21:33

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

MoonlightandRoses · 29/05/2013 22:34

YANBU - a sip of whatever = fine, buying in a drink containing caffeine (which prevents iron absorption) and aspartame (no comment!) and providing it as drink on a regular basis = really, really not fine.

FunnysInLaJardin · 29/05/2013 22:37

I wouldn't judge, but I am lucky that neither DC like fizzy drinks. By total default the only things they will drink are milk, water and fruit juice. DS1 only apple juice and then only when he's in the mood. I was actually Shock that a friend of DS1's recently said how much he liked fizzy drinks. They are 7 and I had totally forgotten that children are supposed to like them Grin