The bloody squash debate!

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I'm friends with two lovely mums, they're both very health conscious vegetarians. We share a lot of similar views but they are both horrified that I let my dd drink squash. They've brought it up nearly every time we've met up, blaming any of my dd's various issues, from nappy rash to lack of appetite on the demon Robinsons.
My responses range from apologetic (I've tried her on water but she cries and won't drink it) to the defensive ('at least I know she's properly hydrated.') What I really want to say is that I don't care enough to wean her off it, that I cook from scratch, don't let her eat much sugar and buy free range meat and I'm just done with reading packets and labels and scrutinising everything and if it gives her a bit of happiness and doesn't make her fat then what's the harm? Increased risk of strokes, tumours and migraines apparently.

How old is dd and how much squash doesn't have

My 3 year old son eats doritos off the floor if that mkes you feel better

God, how bloody rude of them.

Just laugh in their faces next time they spout off.

You can guarantee by the time their kids are 11 they'll be gorging on Frazzles and Coke from the school vending machines.

Assume they are on about aspartame in Robinsons squash? Aside from the fact they are rude I do agree that bothers me so I stopped buying it, switch to high juice. Lots of lovely sugar instead!

Weirdly I can't drink squash with sweeteners in when pregnant. .. i can tell the difference somehow. Have found out the hard way a lot of things now have added sweeteners eg full fat lenomade noe has less sugar added but some sweeteners too. Even lucozade !!!!

Happened in my first and second pregnancy. .. can't touch the stuff. I am not a worrier either. . Just makes me feel sick!

Has made me wonder why.. thougj I think it's just baby going... dont try and fob me off lady.... get me the good stuff

Black currant drinks do seem to cause irritation and nappy rash in lots of babies and children.
What about apple or another flavour , go for the lighter coloured squashes.
(Nursery worker, I see it a lot)

Thanks for the tip, we usually have orange because I prefer it. I used to work in dentistry so can't bring myself to buy squash with sugar in but the point is that it's your choice and I cannot abide people telling others what's good for their children and what isn't.

I think I'd just say 'well it's not harming you, and it's none of your business so stop wasting your breath'.

Mine drink no added sugar squash - I worry slightly about the sweetners in it but it passes! I do encourage water and milk too.

Personally I don't give my children anything other than water or milk (4 and 20 months), they're happy with that and I'm happy to avoid sweeteners and the additional sugar but I have absolutely no interest in what other parents choose to do. So no you're not bu, just tell them to pull their neck in.

I'm a vegetarian as are my children and they rarely drink squash... But I don't feel the need to comment on my friends giving squash to their children, it's just plain rude.

It's squash

Not crack cocaine

I've come to the conclusion that if weak squash is the worst thing in my three year old's diet, I'm not doing too badly.

Yabu , water milk or occasional watered down pure juice is all little ones should have.

No sugar squash is equally damaging to teeth due to the acid content which can lead to dental erosion which can lead to caries. I think that needs to be made clear as the previous posts are confusing.

It's up to you re: the drinks. The number of intakes a day and whether they are taken on their own is really what is important so if it's a a drink with a meal it's not too bad.If it's 6 glasses sipped between meals, then it is problematic

My DH is a dentist and finds that decay is about 80% diet related and drinks play a large part in that. We have 3 DCs aged 4 and under and they have water or milk at home and juice when out as a treat. No juice in the house so no point asking. Our friends who are dentists stick to the same rules. None of these children (oldest 13) have had any dental caries so I think it's a rule that works.

The issue of "weak enamel" always comes up in these threads. That's relatively rare but someone with weak enamal has to be even more careful with diet/oral hygiene measures so it's still the same advice.

I agree - your friends are being rude and I wouldn't say anything. The only time I would is if someone was under the misapprehension that sugar free drinks or diluted pure fruit juice was less bad for teeth as that's not the case.

The milk marketing board certainly have done an effective job on multiple generations of parents.

Perhaps you could tell your friend "look I've heard you put in this topic but I don't want to discuss it again."

I don't do well with sweeteners. React with severe migraines and vomiting. Plus after lots of research, I wouldn't want them in my diet even if I could tolerate them.

As a result, my kids drink water, milk, or fruit juice.

My friend's kids live on fruit shoots. Would never ever say anything to her though, because that's her choice, not mine.

None of these children (oldest 13) have had any dental caries so I think it's a rule that works.

I have drunk sugar free squash my whole life and have no fillings at all in my late twenties. Nor have my siblings.

It's too small a sample size to know.

They sound rude. I feel like they do but I would NEVER say so to another parent.

I have friends who do all kinds I don't agree with but I wouldn't tell them!

It's not the milk marketing board. It's a matter of fact. Head off to the British Dental Association library and fill your boots reading articles about why milk is better for teeth (calcium inclusion, non-damaging ph levels plus unrefined sugars are less damaging to teeth than refined sugars found in soft drinks etc).

Natural fruit juice and no and low sugar drinks are acidic however and can cause acid erosion and ultimately decay.

whats - I've just set out the issues re: intakes. If you are only drinking at meals times and the rest of your diet is fairly good, it's OK-ish. If it's 6 glasses throughout the day, it's not

I'm unsure why your statistical sample is any better than mine but DH is is happy to throw into the mix all the patients he has seen over the last 17 years, along with all the evidence based peer-reviewed research and is entirely comfortable with the fact that you are more likely to have decay caused by acid erosion if you drink acidic drinks than if not.

Oh - and it will be quite interesting to examine e the state of your teeth at 50 too; bearing in mind one set needs to last a lifetime

Just don't engage. You're a grown woman for god's sake. Why are you letting the other two have any input in your parenting.