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?

The parents on here whose children don't know that fizzy drinks exist tend to be the ones that say 'oh my child is odd - he only eats organic broccoli and hates chocolate/crisps etc'. The 'my child is odd' bit always seems like it is accompanied by a 'tinkly little laugh'. It makes me laugh when I read it as the amount of people who say it implies that actually it's not remotely unusual or special

it would be a very unusual child (or adult) who goes to a party wanting to drink water I agree with the adult bit, but I can think of at least 20 kids I know who don't like fizzy drinks, squash or juice and so would Want to drink water at a party... maybe I just know unusual children?!

With regards to it being a regional thing, we are in London.

Not unusual early we're in London too and I've often seen dc wanting water at parties.

Photos or it didn't happen.

ThymeLord I find it more odd that everyone you know would only serve pop at a children's party tbh
20 years ago yes it was the done thing, but now people are much more health concious and I would think it rare a child as young as 7 drinking pop

I'm in Manchester btw, and no not the rich/posh area

Must be rougher here then eh?

All these children who don't drink squash or fizzy drinks - is it because they actually don't like them or is it becuase their parents don't give them those drinks?

My 3yo only drinks milk or water but that may be because we don't give him juice or squash or fizzy drinks.

My 21 month olds only drink water but again they've never had juice or fizzy drinks. The only other drink they've ever been given is cow's milk which they just spit out.

I'm in Ireland btw, and not a posh part, but round here it's mostly juice/squash for 7yo at parties. Maybe water if they ask.

Diet coke is horrible stuff.

Aspartame may well be harmless in small amounts but when you look at all the foodstuffs it is in nowadays (including toothpaste add savoury foods such as crisp flavours) someone who eats a lot of processed food could very easily end up consuming an awful lot of it each day.

Livia- ha, that makes me laugh too. DD certainly knows what fizzy drinks are. She just doesn't like them. She's what I would call a good eater, loves all veg and most fruit, favorite meal is salmon, rice and ratatouille, would choose raw carrots and hummus over cake, don't hate me but she also loves her chocolate, crisps, ice cream and stuff. She doesn't go OTT with it, probably because it's not forbidden. She also has a very good 'off' switch, she stops when she's had enough.

Dd is 7. She drinks milk or apple juice 99% of the time. On a weekend she has a cup of milky tea. When we go out for a family meal she sometimes has a diet coke. Same on holidays.

I wouldn't encourage it every day but the odd glass is fine!

Mine have had fizzy drinks (not Coke or diet) and we have juice in the house
DS1(7) will always prefer juice or milk, only has water when it's all that's offered really
DD(5) will always ask for water over anything else, have to make her drink milk sometimes as she'd always prefer water
If they're offered a 'treat' drink, in a restaurant or whatever, both will choose a j20 not a fizzy drink

Just personal preference I suppose, but fizzy drinks not being readily available definitely has made a difference in them not asking for/wanting them all the time

^that was in answer to Eagle btw

Thanks nocapes.

I'm hoping my children won't go mad for fizzy drinks when they're a bit older. Time will tell I guess.

one of mine will only drink water or milk and wont try anything else, at scouts they often make a jug of squash for them as a default, DS is often puce/sweaty/gasping for a drink at pick up time.

People tell him he can have a drink of squash because it's a party or whatever- DS knows he's welcome to, he just doesn't want to, and the insistence of other adults that he should 'unclench' (not in so many words but that's the gist, that he's not 'allowed' it) makes him and me feel uncomfortable/embarrassed for being different somehow.

It's no mandatory to eat unlimited crap at parties- My kids don't (whether watched or not) they also don't eat hummus or that other holy grail of food at parties 'the olive'. They will eat pizza/sandwiches as much as eating cake and sweets - it doesn't follow that they automatically go wild on the sugary shit. Lots of projection here.

YANBU. no bloody way would i give it out to 7 year olds, never mind as the only choice.

even at 10/11 i wouldn't "offer" coke, if we are out and kids ask for it then fine, but just one. i also do check their parents are ok with them having it.

my 10 & 12 year olds are allowed it, they have it sometimes, but prefer sprite or limonata. even then i limit it to restaurants/occasions which they are fine with.

DD2 has plenty of friends who only drink water. not because they are made to, just what they are used to and choose to drink.

Even at parties at people's houses the children weren't offered fizzy drinks. I do live in an area that has a lot of well educated professionals though.

I know that sounds snobby, but it is what it is.

i often have a glass of water if i am thirsty, think it's a good habit to get into- when I go to the bar or whatever we get a pitcher of tap water every time we get a bottle of wine- dilutes it a bit and minimises the horror of the next morning...

I think that I was maybe a bit UR to say in my original post that Diet Coke was an odd choice for a 7-8 year olds party. It seems lots of people offer fizzy drinks at parties for kids of this age as a treat. It's just not something I've come across yet here, until now. I only know two people who allow fizzy drinks with meals out.

However I don't think I am being UR to think Diet Coke should be the only Choice.

I know that sounds snobby, but it is what it is.

Yes, and what it is is snobby and sneery.

Hoddtastic mine have had this too. Makes me cross. I feel like saying of course they are allowed squash, they just don't like it! Very annoying.

I do live in an area that has a lot of well educated professionals though.

So do I and they still drink fizzy drinks

We went to a party that only served various fizzy drinks.
There was a huge fuss getting DD water as she will not touch them.

There should be an alternative.

I think saying you live in an area with lots of well educated professionals and that's why fizzy drinks aren't offered is pretty snobby. I live in an area where this is the case too (well educated professionals) but I don't think this automatically makes you choose the right foods and drinks for your kids... I've got friends who are hugely educated high flyers giving their kids chocolate and crisps every single day as a snack, friends who point blank ignore the fruit or veg only as a school snack rule and send in biscuits. It's not au automatic thing.