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.

Dunno Sarah but it neutralises the acid produced when you eat apparently. It's the reason why the French do pudding and then cheese after a meal unlike the British who do it the other way round.

Salmarea what is tat brown triangle in your post. Nothing wrong itch weak squash, drinking I through a straw sounds goo as I directs I away from the teeth

Ah headfairy that makes sense! Thanks.

I have a dentist. She's not my friend, just my dentist and anyway she's a bit of a twat...

But left to her, no-one would eat or drink anything because everything's bad for your teeth

She did a dying swan routine, when I mentioned my kids like the odd squirt of ketchup on their dinner.

My dentist told me bread was too sugary to eat

Well my Dentist who is horrible to me but lovely to DD said she can have sweets and sugary things as long as she drinks water afterwards and cleans her teeth when she gets in.

I agree with the OP! I heard a young mum saying to a 2ish year old,

What drink do you want, another fruit shoot or a coke?

I mean, come on, seriously?!

It's bull to say they don't like water imo. If you bring your babies up on water, then that's the taste they learn to enjoy - it quenches their thirst. They only know evil fruit shoots exist because you went ahead and bought the shit for them!

Thanks OP, that's actually really useful advice and I will try them.

Although 2 of your 3 suggestions involve juice/fruit puree which would appear to contradict your opening comment.....

I beg to differ after ff feefing both of mine they refused plain water.

its better than nothing

Meh.

My children drink squash , water , milk, hot chocolate, tea ,or fizzy stuff depending on what thry fancy and the occasion. They are 9, 6 and 3. The 3 yr old in particular likes a cup of tea on a cold day ( decaff before anyone calls social services).

They're happy. Im happy. We all have our own teeth.

Recently proven that drinking fruit juice every meal for one month will change your metabolism for life making your body far more likely to store fat - fizzy drinks & squash the same.

not preaching that im some kinda angel - still give dd juice etc cos its convenient but those to say 'I don't sweat the small stuff' is wrong, it ain't small stuff - it can seriously affect your future health.

YABU

in my opinion, they also need food on a regular basis, not just milk and water.

One thing I don't get is that you say you don't like tea or coffee and drink squash, I don't like tea or coffee or milk and drink squash so why should my children like stuff if I don't?

Blah

Dd1 only ever had milk or water up untill about age 5 and then she started having watered down pure juices. She is a big water drinker still.
Ds1 also loves water but has a lot of soya milk and neocate (sometimes with chocolate nesquik in which he loves).

Up untill december dd2 only drank water or soya milk but has now developed a huge liking for low sugar fruit shoots and I often let her have one.
Ds2 drinks water but has had the occasional sip of a fruit shoot that dd has left on the floor (he loved it! But I have not let him have one of his own yet he's only 14months!).

I really don't think it matters what dcs drink, personally I think fizzy drinks are awful but at a party I would allow dcs to have one if they wanted. As long as teeth are brushed properly I don't think it matters.

Because MIL insisted on giving DS1 squash instead of water when she looked after him so now he won't drink water. He's very stubborn & I'd much prefer he drank weak squash than nothing at all.

My pfb only drinks spring water collected from the natural spring at the edge of the grounds, and fresh cows milk from our own organic cows.

Nah I jest, he actually drinks a beaker of chocolate milk with breakfast, watered down squash throughout the day and a bottle of milk at bedtime, he has the occasional cup of tea too.
He has fruit shoots as a treat but isn't allowed fizzy and always has sugar free.
He's perfectly fine and healthy.

I think it's unfair to judge other parents too harshly, nine times out of ten they are doing what they think is best.
Although going against my own statement I do have a problem with toddlers drinking coke, my bro used to open a can of full fat coke and tip it into a baby bottle each for my niece and nephew who were about 18mths and 3 ish, tet would wander round all day with a bottle of coke in their mouth a d bro could t figure out why they wouldn't sleep!

DH isn't prepared to set an example, for whatever reason, so if he drinks juice the child drinks juice. Obviously. I am a fucking paragon in comparison.

pigletmania - the brown triangle was a (very tiny) pile of smiling poo.

Sorry to be so late in replying but I was on the phone!

I'm a nanny...My 4yo charge will not drink cows milk...never has stares at insane amount of sma tins that I'll do something with...somedayshe is not fond ofof water at all...she disliked it as a baby and only drank it as a last resort...so she drinks weak squash or watered down juice...her sister and brother won't drink milk but will drink water but I (and their parents) also give them juice...they're all healthy with beautiful teeth and good eating habits

Oh and I take pride in my work, put an insane amount ofeffort in and I'm bloody good at it...giving them juice doesn't change that

I thought I would only give dd1 water or milk. Then she got badly constipated and I discovered that squash would cover up the taste of laxitives, and she drank more of it so her ongoing problems with constipation were less bad. It isn't my ideal, but I think it's best in our situation.

I'd rather see a child drink squash than nothing, but in over a decade of Childcare with over 100 children, I have never yet met a child who won't drink water.

Some water tastes better than other. I dislike the taste of tap water at my parents house and the in laws and will only drink squash or tea there. At home in a soft water area I will drink tap water.

DS aged 2 and 3 did not drink water in anything like the quantity he needed to to stay healthy but he would drink weak squash. Which do I prefer constipated dehydrated child or child who drinks squash?? ummm, not a difficult question.

DS is now aged 7 and has milk with breakfast, water during the day at school , squash after school and with dinner and understands that his body needs him to drink. But its a rare day that he tells me he is thirsty or asks for a drink.