AIBU Diet Coke at a party?

[early30smum]

DD (7) has just got back from a party. The only drinks put out for the kids were Diet Coke! She did get some water in the end, but the drink provided for each child was a mini can of Diet Coke!

AIBU to think this is a bit weird/uneccesary for a birthday party of 7-8 yr olds?

Birthday parties were the only time we ever got fizzy pop as kids haha.

I wouldn't say it's unnecessary in the context of a birthday party, though I would have probably gone for fizzy orange or lemonade, or the gold coke, as diet coke has caffeine in it and I could see why some parents would get potentially miffed at that. Also I have to suffer through that party too if it's my kid and do you really want that one kid who always acts up to be fuelled on caffeine as well as sugar and party fever?!

I wouldn't be too upset if my kid went to another party with a mini can of Diet Coke for a drink at age 7- and your DD had enough about her to get something different if she didn't want it, even if it was water. I don't think it was in any way a malicious act by the birthday kids parents, so I wouldn't act on it as one. everyone is capable of being a little thoughtless or missing something when organising an event.

Why do people think that if you try to give your child a mostly healthy diet that you're 'depriving them' and they will automatically become obese and have no self control when they're older??

They don't think that. Or at least I doubt most people would think giving a child a mostly healthy diet is depriving them, just that a single can of diet coke at a party (where the child in question had water ffs)isn't weird or shocking.

I also don't think that a mostly healthy diet will lead to obesity in adults either , but I have friends who had parents who were extremely strict about food and who weren't allowed anything even remotely unhealthy who then went totally over board eating crap as soon as they left home. A friend put on 3 stone in her first year trying all if the banned foods!

I've been addicted to Diet Coke for years but wouldn't give it to my dcs unless there was literally nothing else (never happened.) It's utterly full of crap and has really damaged my teeth. I'm finally weaning myself off.

Aspartame has huge effects on my asd child so sugar free anything is off the menu here.

I'd give lemonade, fruit juice and fizzy orange at a party. Don't give a shit if I'm whatever kind of parent. I'm with you op.

Aspartame is much whose than sugar, been linked to behavioural disorders, bladder problems and obesity.
I can see it's only a treat at a party, but it's a choice I wouldn't make.

mambano5. There's a mother like that at dds school. She's obese and her daughter is very much in the obese category. She's yr6, under 5ft and at least an m&s size 18. Poor girl. The woman boasts to my friend about getting takeaways and McDonald's because she can't be bothered to cook. The girl also eats loads of sweets.

My dd has a massively sweet tooth and will eat sugar/cakes/chocolate until she feels sick. If I were like this woman, dd would be the same size. As is, it's a hard to get dd to eat the right thing. I'm chronically ill so it's very hard for me not to cave to my dds demands because I'm using much of my brain power to keep going and ignore the awful pain I'm in. This woman doesn't have an excuse.

I think OP's issue was that there was no choice initially. The party givers assumed everyone like coke which considering how fussy kids are is a big assumption.

Water is what they drink at school so it's strange not to automatically offer it alongside the pop.

As an aside FWIW I am that smug parent! My DC don't like Coke as it's never been in the house and like me they can spot aspartame in drinks cos it tastes awful (bitter aftertaste). 7 Up vs other lemonade for example. Oh, and they've never been to McD as we'd never think of it as a family because DH and I don't like it. Do I win MN bingo?

When I was a child it was standard for parties that the host bought 1 bottle each of lemonade, orangeade and cola.
All age from preschool upwards.

I remember the orangeade however carefully dm opened it always foamed over.
one year we decided to test it by vigorously shaking the lemonade and cola and carrying the orangeade very very carefully.
The orangeade still fizzed over and the others were fine.

Only time we ever got fizzy I'm now addicted

Can't remember who said it but this thread is not about me being cross DD had to ask for water. She's 7, she's more than capable of asking. She did. What I was saying was, was it unreasonable of me to think there maybe should be other drinks readily Available, especially water. And that perhaps Diet Coke was a bit of an odd choice for a party for kids this age?

I'm not precious about my kids, I certainly don't mind that she had to ask for the water, I'm certainly not saying 'oh the poor darling had to go thirsty until she could manage to ask for a drink', I'm just saying I personally find it odd no water jugs or bottles of water were on the table.

I do see from reading this whole thread that maybe I was being a bit UR to think Diet Coke is a weird choice- maybe it's more commonplace at parties for this age group than I thought. And that's fine.

Bordersarethebest I'm with you! Kids HATE anything with aspartame in if they ever taste it by mistake, never been to McDonalds etc. I would let them go if they asked but they never do! However they have been to other burger chains so I'm not too smug!

Would you have been okay if your daughter had asked for full fat fanta orange, OP?

What if there had been other drinks on the table but they were full fat fizzy drinks and even fruit juice, but no water?

DD is unusual in that she only actually likes water or milk to drink, won't touch squash, juice etc

Not remotely unusual on MN - look at some of the other replies, plus every 'my children don't even know that such a thing as fizzy drinks exist and they are 38 and 40' type posts

She hates all fizzy drinks, so would never have drink Fanta. I don't have a problem with hosts offering whatever drinks they want, as long as it's not just one type of drink, and I do think water should have been on offer on the table yes. Obviously she asked and got some, so it's not terrible but I personally would think it's reasonable to assume at a kids party water would be on the table. But I can see not everyone agrees!

Yes, I see now she's not that unusual for only liking water and milk. When she was younger she didn't drink much so I used to try and get her to drink juice (realize now that wasn't a good idea!) and she point blank refused. It bugs me a bit (but that's a whole other thread) that kids meals tend to come with juice, lemonade, Coke or squash included in the price.

As much as I disagree with putting Diet Coke out for a party of this age group, I wouldn't think to put water out either
At every party we've had it been to its 1 jug of orange cordial and 1 jug of Blackcurrant, never water

it's fine as a one off treat. imo
but I would have offered sprite or another lemonade for those who don't like the taste of cola

What if the host was busy with the other children and just forgot to put out water?

My kids are still very young (3 and under) so haven't had fizzy drinks at all. I'd rather they steered clear of them for as long as possible but I realise that's not realistic.

How is squash/juice or lemonade a "better" drink option? Is it because of the caffeine?

I mean, is it because of the caffeine in Diet Coke?

As adults would you choose plain water at a party? I'm teetotal and I'd still expect a nice non alcoholic drink. Cranberry juice, Diet Coke, sparkling water and lime juice. Parties are for celebrating, having fun and a treat.

Geez I loath the sort of parenting that is so neurotic about something like diet coke at a party for 7 year olds. Tbh I would have had something like a jug of orange squash plus something else but I certainly wouldn't be judging someone who puts diet coke out. This is the sort of mentality that plagued my early school gate years and made me hate them..

I'm not judging parents who put out Diet Coke and/or let their kids drink it at parties/special occasions. If DD liked it, I'd be fine with her having it on such occasions. I just find it weird it was the only available choice unless you asked specifically.

Yes Eagle personally it's the caffeine that's a problem for me

I'd love to know where all these people live. Is it a posh home counties thing? I can't think of a single person I know who would serve anything other than pop at a kids party.

When DD was that age there were never any fizzy drinks offered at parties. Most of them were at soft plays and the drinks on offer were orange squash, blackcurrant squash or water.

It never occurred to me to offer fizzies either, so it was orange squash or water.

I too find it odd that diet coke was the only option (I don't like any type of coke).

But if there were other types of fizzy drinks and fresh orange juice I wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

It would be a very unusual child (or adult) who goes to a party wanting to drink water.

'd love to know where all these people live. Is it a posh home counties thing? I can't think of a single person I know who would serve anything other than pop at a kids party.

It wouldn't fly in Glasgow. Not even in Newton Mearns or Jordanhill.

I expect the 15 year old will be drinking cider at parties fairly soon,Dancer

Actually no highalert She has a very small circle of friends, they don't party much, some of her friends have very strict parents who don't allow much socialising. We have offered dd a taste of wine etc at home, she says it's disgusting.

Some girls at her school have experimented with alcohol, dd is very judgemental about it all

It's a myth that all teens are desperate to start drinking.