To not give my toddler juice?

[CulturalBear]

I don't give my 14-month-old DS juice. He likes water, likes milk - and I don't see the need to start him down the slippery slope of dental issues with juice (I know you can mitigate against this but it seems like a pointless risk to take if he's happy with water and milk).

I often see reference to giving kids - even babies - juice, which seems so matter of fact that I feel like I'm the only mother who's an 'evil witch' and doesn't.

He eats very well - meat, veggies, fruit etc so I'm not worried about vitamins at all.

AIBU to not give him juice? How long did you hold out for (on the juice-giving front)?

My pfb didn't have anything to drink other than water and milk until she was nearly 3. I cringed when I saw other toddlers drinking squash or juice.

My poor neglected second child was drinking the occasional fruit shoot before his 1st birthday. I cringe at how judgemental I was of other parents back in the day!

I think it's less of an issue now that you can get bottled water just about everywhere. I was a bit pfb about giving my kids juice, and it was occasionally very awkward when we were out and delayed, they were thirsty, and they wouldn't drink any of the things which are easily available (at the time that was mostly fizz).

DS was absolutely dreadful at eating anything remotely fruit or vegetable shaped when he was a bit younger (he's still pretty bad) so I've never made a big deal of the amount of orange and apple juice he drinks. I'd rather it was that than fizz or squash.

My children don't drink squash, never have.

Yes, this is a stealth bost.

My children don't drink squash, never have.

Yes, this is a stealth boast.

My children don't drink squash, never have.

Yes, this is a stealth boast.

Maybe I'll post it again just in case anyone missed it :-)

18 month old DS has never had juice. I'm not PFB, he's had Happy Measl and a Gregg's sausage rolls. I only ever drink water myself so it just never occurred to me to offer him anything different.

Tbh I don't really think people care whether you give him juice or not. It's up to you, you are his parent. Some people do, some don't that's all it is really.

I don't bother apart from the occasional freshly squeezed OJ if they are under the weather or particularly constipated. They (20mo twins) drink water and milk. TBH I could do without the additional sticky mess. At least water is easy to clean up and they only have milk am and pm.

I hate squash though so I am passing my foibles on to them. I try to limit fresh juices for myself anyway as although they are tasty (partic M&S clementine juice - mmmmmm), they really a just a fruity reduced-fibre sugar rush (albeit one with more vitamins than eg fizzy drinks).

I am the same with smoothies. Don't see the point when I can make 'em eat fruit.

Never understood how choldren try something once and then can't ever not have it... He's a baby, if he has a bit of juice he's not going to go to the fridge and pour himself another glass

Why does everyone give such a shit about juice all of a sudden?

NEWSFLASH. Not everyone is obsessed with juice. I know loads of people that don't give juice.

No one is going against the tide by giving only water and milk. It's just a preference.

I don't give my toddler juice, but it's not something I judge over. We dropped orange juice from the house when us parents were low-carbing and never brought it back.

My 2 year old DS only has milk or water. Turned out he was pinching the other toddlers' squash at the childminders. Now she only gives water to all of them. And I smugly take my bow.

Let DS have his first fruit shoot thingy a few weeks back?

He downed it like he'd never had a drink before? That means they are really bad and sugary right?

I have a 6 yr old who doesn't drink anything except water. Milk on cereal but not from glass :-/ it's nothing to do with my parenting, he's just decided he doesn't like it and refuses to try. I always get sideways looks when out as if I'm one of THOSE parents!

I don't buy juice and my dc's are 4,6 and 9. They have it at parties or at other peoples houses but are happy with water or occasionally milk at home. It isn't that unusual I don't think.
OP don't count on good dental health for your dc because they are juice free. Milk causes horrendous dental caries.

Ha amyhamster the nursery workers once suggested that it was a good thing he'd never had it as as soon as kids get a sniff of the stuff they refuse to drink anything else!

What a load of crap

Although I'd rather my dd drank weak squash than nothing & get urine infections, poor mite
I just can't get myself wound up about these things

& as long as they brush their teeth twice a day properly they'll be fine

It's ok to not give your toddler juice, but what is the IABU here. It would also be ok to give him some small amounts of juice or whatever non-alcoholic the family is drinking.

My 3yo DTs have never had juice, only water and milk a year or so ago. I live in a country where they don't sell squash and all the kids manage fine without it.

Yep only water and milk until went to childcare here. But still only water or milk Mon-Fri here. Dc are 10 and 8 the rule here is they only get a soft drink if mum and dad are having wine. So weekend evenings only. They can trade this for a lunch time coke if we are in the pub.

DS is 3 and drinks water and milk on a daily basis. But he has a Fruit Shoot when we eat out and loves them. I gave him very diluted squash from perhaps 18 months, can't remember now, but it makes him piss like a racehorse. So when we came to potty training I cut it out and now only give it when we're out or during the summer when I wanted to make sure he was hydrated. He downs squash no problem.

My 2 year old has started having juice if we're out, it's a treat, but at home he gets water.

DS is nearly 4 I've been lucky as he only asks for water but if we out at party or something he will have juice. DD wouldn't touch water so had juice hated fizzy stuff.

I do get juice in when they poorly though