to think that giving an under 3 anything other than milk or water to drink is terrible parenting?

[Dukketeater]

I even saw an 18 month old drinking coke from a can...

:o

Current dental advice I've been given is that children should have only milk or water between meals. Juice should be drunk with a meal only.

I don't think giving juice is the worst parenting crime ever, I just think that for most children juice and squash are not necessary.

Yes, Coke works wonders on tummy bugs. When DS was maybe 15-18 months old he had a lingering bug that just wouldn't clear up. An older doctor at the surgery recommended giving him Coke, saying it was considered an old fashioned approach but that's how he had treated his DC. I had flashbacks to being given Coca Cola syrup as a child when ill. DC always had Coke or flat ginger ale after that for tummy bugs.

Otherwise I'm a mean mother. DS(11) and DD(8) still only get water or milk at home. They aren't keen on juice/diluting juice and I figure they get soda at enough times outside of the house.