Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to start giving my DC squash even though they're happy with just water?

233 replies

Clemmythyme · 12/02/2017 23:15

I have two DDs aged 4 and 2. Both happily drink water and don't ask for anything different to drink. DD4 has tried squash at GPs and parties and likes it but has never asked for it at home. DD2 hasn't tried it but obviously would probably like it as it's sweeter than water.

I'm thinking of beginning to buy and offer squash because I'm concerned they're not drinking enough. Neither drank anything with breakfast today, they had probably a quarter of a small cup of water with lunch, half a small cup after swimming and hardly anything with dinner. AIBU to think this isn't enough and to introduce squash to try and encourage them to drink more?

OP posts:
Eolian · 13/02/2017 13:09

Is beer ok? It's definitely partly made of water . This is the silliest thread I've seen in ages, and that's saying something. Water is bad for you and doesn't hydrate GrinGrinGrin. Made-up twaddle of the highest order.

Eolian · 13/02/2017 13:10

Oh also, should I be giving my dog squash? I don't want him to explode either.

Justturned50 · 13/02/2017 13:16

Not read all of the posts but I'd say OPs little ones perhaps aren't happy with water. They'd drink more if they were. I'd be worried about the strong wee thing.
I introduced squash to encourage mine and did the straws and cups thing. They now go through a couple of bottles of plain water each every day (both boys, now 12 and 16) and rarely opt for squash. As with everthing else they all go through phases and drinking is no exception.
The insisting on a couple more mouthfuls of water before they leave the table works too. Also works at other times of the day when they want to be doing something else.

insancerre · 13/02/2017 13:17

Eolian
Before the invention of safe tap water everyone used to drink beer all day

NannyR · 13/02/2017 13:20

That story about the after school club and the child being hospitalised with dehydration after drinking water sounds quite serious. Is it recent? I've just googled but can't find anything at all on it, could you provide a link to some info please?

Lovinglife17 · 13/02/2017 13:21

Yes try squash, i have nearly 3 year old who has sugar free squash through the day, water at night and with meals, whis to judge whats right for your kids, my ds is perfectly fine with drinking squash, as is ny 16 year old after being brought up drinking squash too,imo there is too much crap about what you should and shouldnt do, my advice dont listen do whatever you think is right Grin

Kennington · 13/02/2017 13:24

Squash gives them at sweet tooth. It may not be bad in itself but a sweet tooth isn't good for anyone.

Itwillbefine · 13/02/2017 13:26

YABU

Itwillbefine · 13/02/2017 13:28

For the sake of your children's teeth squash needs to be given only at meal times and water between, not the other way round.

derxa · 13/02/2017 13:39

I didn't really give my babies beer in absence of any doubt. However since they're now over 20 I have no problems with it.
It is a silly thread since you would soon notice if your DC were severely dehydrated.

EmzDisco · 13/02/2017 14:00

I think I must be so dehydrated from all the water I drink I've completely hallucinated half the posts on this thread

BillDoor · 13/02/2017 14:20

I've only ever really drunk water.
As an adult I started to include coffee and wine.
Fuck knows how I made it to adulthood! Confused

GinIsIn · 13/02/2017 14:23

Living dangerously.....

to start giving my DC squash even though they're happy with just water?
OhSoggyBiscuit · 13/02/2017 15:07

I like to drink lemon & lime flavoured carbonated water which shock horror also has sucralose in it!!! If I die you all can share my Sharpie collection.

Beelands · 13/02/2017 15:12

For DSs third birthday I bought lots of squash for his party. We had some left over so I over the following week I was giving it to him. He went from drinking tiny amounts to drinking loads and loads and the improvement in his behaviour was incredible. Honestly, he was a different child.

He's now five and back on water as he just went off squash but is a much better drinker now generally.... it got him in the habit of drinking. Try it and see how it goes.

YouWillNotSeeMe · 13/02/2017 15:22

Won't someone think of all the dead pets walking around and all the murdering shop owners leaving deadly water out for pets.
Save the animals
Save the world
Give your pets squash before they repeatedly die from brain burst.

OP obviously this isn't aimed at you, talk to your doctor f you are concerned about long term dehydration. Maybe try ice cubes in water for the novelty?

My sister is trying to push squash on his son, and when daughter refused to drink lemonade put squash innit so she would drink it.

DianaMemorialJam · 13/02/2017 15:39

Fenella you're due any day and you're going to drink THAT? I hope you will follow with a whiskey chaser. It will counteract the wiggly woo woo bobble ba ba effect that water has on an unborn foetus.

Stillwishihadabs · 13/02/2017 15:56

I think user is on to something- tap water as we know it has only been around for 200 years if that. For most of human history water wasnt safe to drink. My 2 drink water with meals, but when they sick or on a very hot summer day, I give them squash (becuase its isotonic and will hydrate them faster than water).

GinIsIn · 13/02/2017 16:01

Diana that's right - I am poisoning this baby with East Sussex tap water - rebel without a cause, me! Grin

eddiemairswife · 13/02/2017 16:17

In 1778 the Sunday breakfast menu for girls at my old school was bread, butter and beer. And at Whitsun 'a barrel of beer for the children'. This was stopped in 1840 by the Ladies' Committee, who thought it was bad for them.

Eolian · 13/02/2017 16:37

For most of human history water wasnt safe to drink.

Yes, but it is now.

I give them squash (becuase its isotonic and will hydrate them faster than water).

Have you noticed signs of dehydration in your children when you give them water rather than squash?! Because if not, I can't imagine why you'd give them something full of sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. Let's admit it - the reason parents give their kids squash or fizzy drinks is pester power, not isotonic properties.

driveninsanebythehubby · 13/02/2017 19:46

I'm not a big drinker. In fact, throughout my life I've struggled to drink anywhere remotely close to the recommended amount if fluids. I'm now in my late 30's and the effects my lack of drinking have had on me are as follows:

Bowel movement once every 7 days (yes, really - I thought this was normal until 10/15 years ago!)

Chronic daily headache for years that upping my fluids a little helped but still comes back occasionally.

I've just had blood tests revealing reduced kidney function and got to have repeat testing done in another 6 weeks.

I'm experiencing bladder problems (having to strain to be able to pass urine, no matter how desperate I am to go). The specialist has told me I just need to drink. He actually said it did not matter what I drank, I just had to drink at least 2 to 2.5l per day (on a good day previously I'd manage a litre).

Growing up I lived in a pub so pretty much all of my drinks were full sugar coke and/or sugar free squash! I hate water now unless very, very cold! I don't have a single filling though and have never had any problems with my teeth because I look after them.

OP - get your kids into the habit of drinking now. If they won't drink water, then give them something else. Please don't let them end up with the toilet & kidney problems I have - I wouldn't wish them on anyone. Currently waiting to see if I have kidney disease, it's horrible.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 13/02/2017 20:19

Driven hope your kidneys aren't damaged. Good luck.

On a less serious note if cells explode when surrounded by water why hasn't anyone exploded in a swimming pool? Does the wee chlorine make it isotonic. Should we be chucking sodium in to react with the chlorine to make salt (sodium and water always a fun combinationWink)

acquiescence · 13/02/2017 20:25

I do this to ensure my DS drinks more. I give squash in homeopathic quantities, literally a couple of drops. He will drink 2/3 cups a day plus milk, if he has water he will have a few sips a few times a day. He has had some issues with constipation so it is important to me that he stays well hydrated as he has been in terrible pain and got an anal fissure 😳 from the hard poo.

I don't see how weak squash is going to cause any harm when children have loads of sugar from fruit etc. He doesn't have any other food with added sugar.

nolongersurprised · 13/02/2017 20:34

stillwish it's true that water is actively co transported with glucose across the intestinal membrane (and with sodium) but - as if by magic - the body sorts this out all by itself when you drink water. It doesn't quickly shunt it away down a wee slide so cells don't explode. For people who are genuinely dehydrated and/or depleting their body salts quickly rehydration solutions which contain sugar and electrolytes are best for faster rehydration etc.

But feeling thirsty on a hot day does not mean you're dehydrated, in spite the sports drinks marketing ploy. As long as you're not sweating buckets for hours your guts/kidneys/hypothalamus/posterior pituitary can regulate it all quite nicely. I think the rules for needing rehydration drinks with intense activity is for 2 hours plus of extreme activity? That's not most of us just running around on a hot day.