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?

'Unfortunately. Like cigarettes (albeit in a kiosk, but still...)'

A silly comparison. There is cast iron evidence that cigarettes cause cancer, no such evidence exists to support the 'aspartame causes cancer' claim.

It's a mini can of Diet Coke at a kids birthday party!!! YABU in my opinion.

DD is in Yr 1 and has been to loads of parties, never had fizzy drinks on offer at any of them - squash at most, usually water too. I would judge anyone who gave 5/6 year olds fizzy drinks I'm afraid! But then think I'm maybe quite conservative on the sweets/sugary stuff front. I had unlimited sweet stuff as a child and as an adult definitely have a bit of a sugar addiction.

A good comparison in my view. Decades ago there were scoffers at people saying tobacco is bad for you. No concrete evidence then until years later, but still lots of studies on both sides of the argument. Just like aspartame. Depends which ones you choose to believe. Just saying.
If some parents want to err on the side of caution then that is their choice, it is also their choice if parents want to give their kids coke. But, we must respect each other's choices.

Sorry, still a poor comparison. I trust in science, not fevered anti aspartame posts backed up by nothing at all. Just saying.

Then I am weird!! I would be fuming! I do not consider fizzy drinks and certainly caffeine appropriate for children. My 7 ds has never had one, and no... we are not hippy tree huggers ... (nothing wrong if we were!) but that stuff is so unhealthy and unnecessary! If you give that to your children I would have expected to have water / squash out as well .

Squash is not enormously superior to soda, though.

But why is it that the people who choose to err on the side of caution (I'm sure there were many with tobacco) are "fevered". There are scientific studies against aspartame, too. Doctors used to advertise cigarettes. Still, in my view a very good comparison. We are in exactly the same position with aspartame as with tobacco many years ago. Time will tell. As said, let's respect each other's opinions without the nastiness.

There are scientific studies against aspartame, too

Actually there aren't.

Opinions are things like : I prefer coffee over tea, or pink is a nice colour. Aspartame is dangerous for children is not an opinion, its either a fact or not a fact. And as the science stands today, it is not a fact.

We do not have to respect other peoples alternative facts.

What nastiness? I just take issue with people confidently stating that aspartame causes cancer despite a complete lack of evidence to support it. So still in my view a very silly comparison.

If I confidently state that oranges cause cancer, will you respect my "opinion"?
I do hope not.

Gosh, lots of anger on here tonight.

There are scientific studies you can read if you look hard enough.
My point about the cigarettes was just because something is sold in the supermarket it doesn't make it safe.
My point about the nastiness is that most of the anger is coming from the "pro-coke"ers rather than the "non coke"ers.

... And I haven't even said which side I was on.

There are scientific studies you can read if you look hard enough

You can find a study to say anything if you look hard enough. However the real science says no, you are wrong.

Cigarettes have warning labels, restrictions etc. Does diet coke? No. Please stop equating them as if they are the same thing.

I am a Diet Coke addict but I think it is really weird and inappropriate to give it to kids of that age at a party because most parents I know would probably have an issue with their children drinking fizzy drinks at that age. It is always water and squash at parties amongst my child's age group (8 yrs). Diet Coke is addictive and bad for your teeth (my enamel is really eroded from drinking too much), I would never start my child off on it personally.

I disagree, the nastiness has come from the antis in my opinion. 'Poor parenting' swearing etc.

In digestion, aspartame is quickly and completely broken down into by-products – including phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol – which then enter our system through normal routes. Hardly any aspartame enters the bloodstream.

Yes, really bad

Diet Coke is addictive and bad for your teeth (my enamel is really eroded from drinking too much)

It is not addictive to the very vast majority, and anything can be addictive. A mini can isn't going to damage anyones teeth!

My DD 9 and I don't even give her pop at all sooooooo no I would not be happy with this . How very strange !

Its weird, some of those most against it have posted on other threads that they give their dc sweets every day. Just bizarre.

Interesting read on the whole aspartame debate
cspinet.org/eating-healthy/chemical-cuisine#aspartame
Always thought it was bollocks until my colleague cured his headaches by switching from Diet to green coke...
No fuss over it as one off for party though

can find a study to say anything if you look hard enough. However the real science says no, you are wrong.

Careful wording of "there is no concrete evidence. . . " does not it mean it doesn't cause cancer it just means they are still weighing up the evidence. Nobody has said it is 100% safe and studies are ongoing. Time will tell. As it stands currently, neither of us is "wrong". I am big enough to say that.

Interesting but biased and not very accurate. And biased.

there is no concrete evidence. . . " does not it mean it doesn't cause cancer

True, no-one has proved it to be 100% safe. But the same can be said for oranges. And air.

YANBU. I'm no health freak and have a can most days but I know it's bad for me and I'd never give it to a child.

A small can does not do any harm. However if you know your child has reaction to artificial sugar tell the people at the party. Any food can have things we dont know and E numbers.

Same here river quite ashamed to say I have a slight addiction to pop (as in 1a day) yet wouldn't dream of giving it to mine or other people's children personally ....