To not understand why any child under school age (ish) is given anything other than milk/water on a regular basis?

[Sarah1611]

I see it a lot out and about- tiny dots with bottles and beakers full of juice, squash or fizzy drink. I know it's not the worst thing that a young child can be given but I don't understand why it's necessary. I'm an avid squash drinker and happily drink it in front of my charges but they never ask for it. I don't drink tea/coffee so squash keeps me going!

If we were at a party then I don't see a problem with having other things but not on a normal day at home or on a trip out.

It's not even just the teeth element, but the habit it creates (I should know!!) and also the dependency on sugar- there's enough sugar in most foods in a normal diet without the almost saturate of a soft drink.

[HeadfirstForHalos]

No Worra, they are the worm equivalent of battery hens, living a miserable life with no joy

Shall I get my coat?

[WorraLiberty]

I had to read your post twice btw Startail

I thought you were saying you're still breast feeding your 12yr old because she won't drink milk or water

[Sarah1611]

Ha! I don't know anything about all the different 'sugar free vs whatever' arguments, I'm not sure one is even any better than another!

We talk a lot about things in moderation, which is partly why it's not banned. As I said, they never ask for it and do have it at parties.

Good points on me drinking it encouraging them to think that it's something to drink all the time when you're an adult though, I'll have a think about that- perhaps make a point of drinking more water when I'm around them.

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

:) worra

[WorraLiberty]

Battery worms

Yes you can get your coat after I've rifled through the pockets

[HeadfirstForHalos]

malcolm, I nearly spat my coffee evian at the screen then

[arethereanyleftatall]

Finding it very odd that people judge/notice what other children drink.
Not that I need to justify but..I tried for maybe 6 months to give my 1 year old only water. She must have had about 3 sips a day max. Then I took the bizarre decision that I didn't want her to get dehydrated, so I gave her very weak Ribena. She now drinks maybe a litre of water a day with a bit of squash in. better imo.

[Yonihadtoask]

meh..

My DS and DSSs are older -so they can make up their own minds what they want to drink.

However I buy sugar free squash in, no fizzy pop. So, they can drink the squash, or they can have water. DS tends to have 50/50. DSS has squash sometimes, and cup of tea at others.

Now and again we all have a glass of wine too.

They all have perfect teeth. I grew up on squash - fizzy drinks for a very occasional treat - my teeth are fine.

[adverbial]

Yes, that is confusing. I thought the sugar free was to be avoided, full 'proper' or natural sugar being better.

[HeadfirstForHalos]

You'll only find the stash of fruit shoots I keep in them to satisy my children's demands

[Yonihadtoask]

To be honest I would rather they drank squash and water - rather the an manky cows' milk - with its antibiotics and pus

I hate milk.

[HeadfirstForHalos]

Ooh, Ribena, I've not had that for ages. I used to like it with hot water on cold days.

[Sarah1611]

As I say, I don't think of myself as 'smug' I've not worked hard getting them to drink certain things to feel smug about. It's my job, which I take very seriously and had noticed it seemed more normal for others to give their children juice/squash than I have ever done with children I've cared for.

[HeadFairy]

I think having a rigid rule for children's diet is a recipe (pun intended) for disaster to be honest... If you make something "special" you risk making it forbidden fruit. I grew up with a very rigidly enforced "healthy diet", no treats sweets or similar except on special occasions. I grew up thinking these things were something special and when I grew up and had control of my own finances I developed a terrible diet based pretty much on junk food I thought of as being "special". I have struggled with weight issues all my life as a result.

I don't ban anything from my children's diet. I reinforce the importance of balance instead.

Now how's that for smug? :o

[xTillyx]

DD will only have milk on cereal but only takes a water bottle to school. At home if she's thirsty she has juice. If you clean their teeth well I don't see the problem.

DD hates fizzy drinks, which is a pain as they're usualy refillable at a lot of places we go to eat

[Sarah1611]

Has anyone ever had raw milk? What does it taste like? I've never fancied it but perhaps I'm missing out...

[GrimmaTheNome]

I thought the sugar free was to be avoided, full 'proper' or natural sugar being better.

depends what worries you I suppose.
Now DD has a brace, they give you clear advice so that you don't end up with discolouration - sure, water is best and milk is OK, but otherwise sugar-free squash. Juice isn't too good and anything fizzy - even sparkling water, which surprised me - is a no-no.

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

I grew up next to a farm from a family of farmers and have drunk milk fresh from the udder its lush :)

[Justforlaughs]

I'll hold my hands up and admit that I judged the mother who used to give her baby daughter (less than 1 year old) "full fat" coke, the real deal, in her bottle; even after the older daughter had 10 baby teeth removed by the dentist. Even then, she blamed the rotten teeth on medicine [sceptical]! Hmm, not convinced!

[GrimmaTheNome]

Has anyone ever had raw milk?
yes, quite a lot of farmers with brucellosis have, according to my FIL who worked for the agricultural advice service - pasteurisation is done for good reason.

[peeriebear]

I grew up on cheap sugary squash and a Penguin or Yoyo in my lunchbox every day. I don't have a single filling and my teeth are all intact.
My DDs don't like fizzy drinks but drink a fair amount of squash. They brush their teeth every night.

[Sarah1611]

A dentist friend of mine saw a child recently of about 10 years old who (he was told) was diagnosed with ADHD. The teeth were found to be pretty dire and the Mother asked if it would be anything to do with the 8 cans of Red Bull a day...

[Pancakeflipper]

Throwing into the fun thread .... My DS2 is dairy-free. And cannot have too much soya a day or bum explodes in all directions. His 'milk' of choice is oat milk. A glass of that on its own don't taste that good for him ( he is pre-school). Though it goes down great on cereal and for a milkshake.

Now milk shakes.... Bet they are on the bad-parenting-choice list.

[Sarah1611]

Wow! grimma I've never heard of that before but it sounds nasty! I've been to farms before where it's been advertised but I've never bought any. I guess all the cows there would be checked for the disease first (you would hope!)