To expect water at a child's birthday party?

[Mehfruittea]

Just that really. We've been to 15 parties in the last 3 months and have always had to ask or take our own. Even when I ask for water, I get a cup. The party organiser, soft play centre etc don't think to bring out a jug for other kids.

DS is 5 and will only drink water or milk. Surely this is not unusual - to not drink juice or squash?

I think most parents let their children drink squash at parties as a treat but i do find it unusual water isn't offered as an alternative

YANBU one of mine only likes water - I always carry a bottle in my bag

I don't think water needs to be provided - no-one minds you asking, surely?

What are these venues that are not on tap? Surely you could just go and pour her some water?

Party host provides a pretty standard drink. You want something different. You ask. You get.

What is the problem exactly?

I think it's a bit odd. I went to a party for two year olds at a soft play and they just had jugs of squash which nobody drank. They were a bit huffy about getting jugs of water out.

So it was easy to fix and no big deal but yes I think water should have been there from the start.

I find this odd, dd is 11 now and will only drink water or hot chocolate ( I let her have other stuff but she doesn't like it) I used to get some weird looks when I asked if she could have water and she went to a few parties where she didn't get a drink because they didn't have water ( how can you not have water!!)

Even now DD gets funny looks when she doesn't have coke/lemonade/any fizz at parties. She'll ask for squash or juice and get "but there's plenty of coke."

Irritatingly she was also a water refuser until 7/8 so I was always the parent dropping her off with a couple of cartons of apple juice.

Annoying OP, but easily solved in your case with tap water at the function or bottled water sent along with DC

I've found the opposite. My younger kids have been to a few water only parties. At DS3's fourth birthday I had jugs of squash and water but I bought the lemonade out first. Seeing some of the looks on the parents faces you'd have thought I was passing a joint around.

Is this a stealth boast about your DS not liking squash?

Don't be daft.

I wouldn't be annoyed if it was a one off but it is literally every party. Today I was so frazzled with Christmas stuff I forgot to bring a bottle of water myself.

usual no not a stealth boast, that's not my style.

Tick surely water is the most plain and unfancy drink going?

It is usually provided, but one cup at a time. Or I have had to fill a bottle from the toilets (labelled drinking water). Just slightly pee'd about it now.

Notso, reminds me of the time I committed social suicide by offering children cherryade at a party.

I think most children would take squash over water so parties are catering for that. There's no harm in asking for a jug of water. I'd be surprised if it was refused.
Unless your son has an allergy, he should probably just drink what is provided rather than demand alternatives.

I have noticed this too - my DC1 will only drink one particular type of squash, so normally will just have water at parties, DC2 is seriously fussy and only will drink water. You do tend to have to ask for it, I tend to offer it though!

I poured drinks for 12 children today - choice of squash or water. Five chose water. Someone else poured for the same 12 children last week and only offered squash. They all drank the squash but clearly would have preferred water. So I am with you, OP, given water is free to offer and the healthiest choice, I would prefer it to always be available.

We went to a party at a soft play place last week and I was surprised that there were only jugs of squash. 3yo DD only drinks water or milk. Rather than bother anyone and ask for water (it was a small party 'room' with no tap) we just went to the cafe bit and bought her a cup of milk.

I would think it strange too. I think for pretty much every party my 3dc have ever been to between them, there have been jugs of squash and water on offer.

It's not at all unusual for kids to prefer water or to only drink water/milk. I help at our beaver colony on the parent rota and serve drinks to the kids mid-session - we offer squash and water and at least a third of the kids will ask for water.

Even dc1 who is now 12 has some friends who would ask for water over a glass of coke or juice.

Yes, we have noticed this too, mine don't like squash (they'll glug fizzy drinks though). Out come the big jugs of squash every time and water is only available on request. Having said that I regularly serve the drinks at primary school cake sales and we will probably "sell" one glass of water for about every 20 of squash, so mine are clearly in a minority.

I suppose I just don't consider water a special dietary requirement.

I'm a wheelchair user so it's really awkward getting to the party table, checking DS is ok and grabbing his empty cup, then making my way through the scrum to the cafe or kitchen area (or toilet) and then back again trying not to spill the water all over me. which is why I'm annoyed for forgetting a bottle today but felt it should really be offered the same way someone always wanders round with two jugs of different flavoured squash. It would certainly be a lot easier for me if he drank squash!

YANBU. I've also taken to bringing a water bottle with me to parties, as my DCs won't drink squash or juice either - not a stealth boast, it's due to SEN so neither is an option.

I've been at a couple of parties where I've asked for water and none has been available. At one soft play party the (twentysomething) staff were completely flummoxed by the request. They had jugs full of two different flavours of squash.

If it's a physically-active party, I've noticed that children will ask for water during the activity but then want a fruit shoot or squash with their party food, so, when hosting a party, I provide both options.

My DC are the same OP. They only like water. Always have. Sometimes I get looks like I'm the weirdo who won't allow her DC squash etc but that's all they like!

Who cares? Ask for it and drink it or don't drink it, so what?!

In my experience, if you ask for tap water, you get a glass of water - if you want a jugful of water, you need to ask for it specifically.

I was surprised that the soft play party DD attended a few weeks ago only offered squash. Two flavours of squash (orange or blackcurrant I think from the colour) but no water, for a party for a child turning 3, so about 20 kids from 2-3 ish. DD has only ever drunk milk or water because that's all I've offered her / nursery provide (yep, not so stealthy boast, don't care) and she looked a bit at the taste of squash. I find it bizarre when there is so much focus on healthy eating for children now, that there isn't the same focus on healthy drinks. Mind you, the food at the soft play party was sausage, fish fingers, chips, beans and ice cream pudding, so not too much of a healthy food approach there either!

To be fair BossWitch it is a party, so I wouldn't expect the food to be overly healthy - it's not an everyday thing!
I'm very suprised that water isn't available though - it's the main part of squash! Also a very simple request, so I wouldn't feel bad asking in future.