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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To let her strop about it and not share

182 replies

porridge90 · 15/09/2016 07:45

Bit of a ridiculous one but I'm not sure if I'm being unnecessarily cruel. My dd is 2.3 and she LOVES juice. I know I will be flamed for it but I cannot get her to drink water so she has squash. (Yes I make sure I brush her teeth etc and she never has it in bed). The problem I have is that she guzzles it. If you give her a cup with it in she will down the whole thing in seconds and still ask for more. She would just drink all day if I let her.

I have to be strict as she can fill herself up on juice and then refuse to eat, eating is already a bit of an issue with her being really fussy.

Now, whenever I have a drink she has started throwing a massive fit that she wants it, even if she has just finished hers.

Am I being cruel to just let her cry about it? I don't want her thinking she can always just take my food and drink and I can't just time our drinks together, as she will just drink hers really fast and scream for mine. Part of the problem I guess is that I too don't really like water so I drink juice and that's why she wants it. Is it part of being a parent that I have to hide when eating/drinking? Or that I can only drink things she doesn't like so I don't have to share?

I sound like a 2 year old myself I know with this issue, but it is really starting to annoy me...

OP posts:
Ilovetea82 · 15/09/2016 08:32

I would give her the juice but gradually make it more and more dilute to the point it is pretty much water,

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 15/09/2016 08:33

Squeegle - I think OP isn't standing there drinking what her DD wants and telling her DD no. I think she's doing herself AND her DD a glass of squash each, just the DD is finishing hers first then screaming to drink her mum's as well.

Palomb · 15/09/2016 08:33

TBH if she's drinking that much I'd take her to the doctor.

Proginoskes · 15/09/2016 08:36

Aww porridge Flowers it's not as easy as I make it sound I guess. It took me a while to develop the necessary tolerance for noise, but eventually I made it. To make it a little more visual, could you make something like a construction-paper calendar for the front of the fridge with a little pocket on each day, and have one (or two, if you have small glasses) squash ticket(s) in each wee pocket? That would make it more visual for her in terms of 'being out of squash for the day' and, at least with my DD, it was helpful in moving her toward the point where she'd say "Oh! I only have one more apple juice for today but I want to save it. Mama may I have a glass of orangey water instead?" (I limited juices b/c of their effect on the, um, digestive process Grin )

Original poster
porridge90 · 15/09/2016 08:37

Palomb, but I think it's because I'm weak and LET her drink that much that is the problem. Her sippy cups are all quote big, most kids sip out of it and it lasts them a few hours. Mine downs the whole thing and immediately has a massive baggy nappy. Is a drink every hour too much ? I have no idea.

OP posts:
ArriettyMatilda · 15/09/2016 08:38

Personally my solution to this problem would be for me to drink water and then if she asks for some then I'd be happy to let her have some, perhaps even pour it into her cup. About two years ago I'd drink juice in the morning and then squash throughout the day so I know where you are coming from. When we started weaning dd I could see this issue happening, so I weaned myself off squash and now it tastes horrible if I drink it. I do drink watered down fruit juice as does my 2.9 years old but I don't buy it every week so it's not always an option. I realise this may be harder with dd drinking squash (and obviously it is better for her to drink squash than nothing). I think the best thing you can do is to start with yourself, that way you can offer her your water and she may even like it because it is her mum's drink.

RaspberryOverload · 15/09/2016 08:38

Echoing previous posters, please check with your doctor. It does sound like your DD is drinking a lot more than normal, even if she doesn't seem to be thirsty.

SabineUndine · 15/09/2016 08:39

I would get her checked by a doc if she's drinking that much. And mix her squash very very weak.

MiddleClassProblem · 15/09/2016 08:40

Just came to suggest gradually making it weaker for both of you. Also agree that drinking it in front of her is a bit unfair. Another option, if you are really not willing to try to get onto water, is trying a different flavour of a different colour for yourself so maybe she can believe it's a different drink and she never tries that one? And wean her off at the same time?
It's understandable that she likes it, it's sweet and fruity! Same goes for you. My DH is a squash fiend but he has got better at just having water sometimes but still has days he just drinks squash. Not sure how he got more into water but he always has tap water on the side whenever we went out to eat.

LineyReborn · 15/09/2016 08:41

I think you need to wean both of you onto something other than squash.

Tea. Iced tea. Milk. Bottled water (that doesn't taste of chlorine). Flavoured cold / lukewarm teas. Anything.

witsender · 15/09/2016 08:42

Can you just drink water? Then if she wants some, she has that?

Now the kids are older they are allowed squash with meals, but all other daytime.drinks are water or milk.

Original poster
porridge90 · 15/09/2016 08:42

Just gave her a cup of water. She had a complete meltdown, 'I don't like it mum, orange please!'. I guess we're both weaning onto water then! How much do your dc drink! How many cups on ever age per day?

OP posts:
Original poster
porridge90 · 15/09/2016 08:42

*average

OP posts:
shinynewusername · 15/09/2016 08:43

Agree with those suggesting you see your GP if she is drinking & peeing that much. Having said that, 99% of the time, it turns out to be a behavioural thing, not a medical issue and this is especially likely if she won't drink water (if you are really thirsty, you are not fussy). But best just to check it.

LineyReborn · 15/09/2016 08:45

Tbh, OP, at that age my DS drank cups of milk throughout the day, and I'd have a cup of tea.

Original poster
porridge90 · 15/09/2016 08:46

This Is the size of her cup, is it too big?

To let her strop about it and not share
OP posts:
twirlywoo69 · 15/09/2016 08:47

Hide when you drink yours, just make life easy for yourself.

GoldFishFingerz · 15/09/2016 08:47

Water her juice down so it's very weak

Drink yours from a mug and tell her it's hot tea

ArriettyMatilda · 15/09/2016 08:47

To be honest dd has never been a bug drinker. But she wees about six times a day (now potty training, I think it was more when she wore nappies but not always full nappies with every wee). Don't forget she'll get some liquid with food she eats (fruit, anything with milk added, vegetables) and she may have more space for that if her liquid intake is cut down. Dd probably drinks about three small cups of water a day plus breast milk morning, evening and usually once or twice in the day time. I give her a drink at every meal time and then leave one on the coffee table for her to have whenever she likes.

sleepachu · 15/09/2016 08:48

drinking squash is like drinking coke though, it feels refreshing but it makes you thirsty as well and then you want to drink more squash because water tastes rubbish with the taste of squash in your mouth. I'd just let her have really weak sugar-free squash for now and take great care of her teeth - at least she's being hydrated. when she's older she'll learn to drink water if it's all that's on offer and she's thirsty, like at school or whatever.

nephrofox · 15/09/2016 08:48

Neither of mine would ever finish a drink without promting. Second one is better at it, my eldest basically only drinks any decent quantity if he gets a straw to use.

Arfarfanarf · 15/09/2016 08:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RiverTam · 15/09/2016 08:49

I'm a bit confused as to whether she is drinking juice or squash? Is she drinking undiluted juice? She shouldn't be if so, that's not great for either her teeth or her tummy, dilute as you would squash.

Having said that, it does sound like she's drinking a lot.

ArriettyMatilda · 15/09/2016 08:50

Just seen your cup, my dd always drinks more with a straw too! Could you try offering it in an open cup? It's bigger than dds cups and she definitely doesn't drink one an hour.

Albadross · 15/09/2016 08:50

We've got the reverse problem - all through this hot summer ds has sometimes had just one small sip of water all day and refused everything else. Milk, juice, squash etc - I worry about it a lot.

You could try fresh lemon and mint maybe? That tastes lovely!