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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To offer water only?

54 replies

Buggeroffbingbunny · 12/12/2018 16:18

Just turned 2 DD discovered juice a few months ago. Since then the amount he drinks has increased hugely to the point that this morning he had 3 300ml bottles of dilute squash all before lunch and a nappy was completely soaked through in 2 hours.

At the childminders 3 days a week he only ever has water. He drinks a normal amount and never asks for juice. At home he refuses to touch water and screams “orange” if not given it.

Do I need to just get tough and only offer water? The squash is only very weak but I am worried about the amount he is drinking and him drinking out of habit rather than thirst.

OP posts:
Snowwontbelong · 12/12/2018 16:19

Orange food colouring??

Poodles1980 · 12/12/2018 16:19

Just offer him water. He will drink if he is thirsty. Get rid of the squash.

ghostsandghoulies · 12/12/2018 16:20

Keep an empty squash bottle so he thinks that you've run out.

Original poster
Buggeroffbingbunny · 12/12/2018 16:21

That’s poodles, I think that’s what I’m going to have to do. He is becoming obsessed with the juice.

Going to have to try and get myself drinking water now as well as he just helps himself to my drinks too!!

OP posts:
BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 12/12/2018 16:22

Just gradually make it weaker and weaker.
Drinking too little will do him more harm than drinking a lot (which you can control)
You need to knock the screaming for ORANGE! before he starts screaming for anything and everything

Confusedbeetle · 12/12/2018 16:26

He should definitely be drinking water. There are two thinks going on here, and the first is that he should never be drinking squash out of a bottle. He clearly is ok with water at the childminders so I would go cold turkey and take the tantrum. If you didn't have it in your house he cant have it. If you don't feel up to this I would only offer it in a cup and progressively dilute it more and more until it is water. Juice and squash in a bottle ( even sugar-free) are dynamite on teeth and squash encourages a taste or sweet things. He is only 2 so even a humdinger of a tantrum doesn't last forever. Pour it down the sink. If he asks for it show him the empty bottle. My grandchildren get squash at home but know I dont have it and accept it. They know there is only milk or water

Confusedbeetle · 12/12/2018 16:27

Screaming for anything must result in that thing not appearing or you are in all sorts of trouble

Confusedbeetle · 12/12/2018 16:28

Sorry to be a complete bossy boots but he should have ditched the bottle a year ago

Original poster
Buggeroffbingbunny · 12/12/2018 16:31

By bottle I mean twisted sports cap type lunch box bottle not a baby bottle with teat. But still I agree drinking squash from this isn’t ideal as it encourages the option of sipping from it often.

I could do juice from a normal cup every now and again but only give water in drinks bottles.

OP posts:
GlitterStick · 12/12/2018 16:32

Mine only had water at that age, I think it's a good habit to get them into.
Nothing wrong with juice, but sounds like he has quite a lot and I'd be worried about too much sugar.

Original poster
Buggeroffbingbunny · 12/12/2018 16:32

He hasn’t had a baby bottle since he was 9 months.

OP posts:
coolestmum · 12/12/2018 16:54

Yes, stand your ground and say we only have water. Hide the squash.
And definitely do not give it if he has a tantrum over it otherwise he'll soon learn to apply that to lots of other things he'd quite prefer. Which could result in you hitting the bottle, lol

TheFishInThePot · 12/12/2018 16:59

I'd run out of squash too, drinks can be a real appetite suppressant if they drink just for the taste of it without being thirsty.

Dragongirl10 · 12/12/2018 17:01

Squash will rot his teeth, l agree with others get rid of it completely.....

cadburysflake · 12/12/2018 17:05

Is sugar free robinsons that bad if it's only weak? What's your worry? His teeth?

Prefer · 12/12/2018 17:14

Get rid - if it’s jot in the house he can’t have it and you won’t cave to quieten the tantrums.

If you really don’t feel like a tantrum then you could do as pp said and keep an empty bottle to show him or just say “we’ve none left we’ll have to get some the next time we’re in the shop” works with my two year old!

Canibuildasnowman · 12/12/2018 17:18

Parent your child, don’t give him anything but water . If he tantrums he tantrums but it will pass. My mate swore that her ( now overweight child) would only drink fruit shoots and would die of thirst. He would also ‘only’ east biscuits as a snack. I pointed out that he wasn’t nipping to Tesco himself and buying juice and biscuits. At our house he drank the water he was given. He ate the non sugary snacks he was given. Now he’s a fussy, picky 10 year old, overweight and does little exercise. It all starts when they’re little so stand up to him. You make the rules.

Ducksarsehead · 12/12/2018 17:19

I am slightly biased as my child does need to drink a massive amount due to kidney issues (3 litres plus daily)

But most children I think are not drinking enough fluid for mental development and physical health. Even a 2 year old need about 1.2 litres of fluids a day to stay hydrated and alert.

I believe that if the only way you can keep your child fully hydrated is to use very weak squash then go ahead. Limiting fluids just to say my kids only drink water is not a good thing. By all means limit fizzy drinks, fruit shoots, massive amounts of milk or high calorie drinks. But a dash of sugar free squash which will help kidney health, will help prevent utis, will aid concentration, will prevent dehydration. Why get worked up about it?

kateandme · 12/12/2018 17:19

deff don't make the issue about sugar or content if its sugar free there is nothing wrong with people normal having as much of this squash as healthy to drink.many people don't have water but sugar free water and its fine.
the issue is him getting the taste for it and overdrinking til poorly and not stopping because he likes the taste etc etc.
so maybe yes go cold turkey for a bit then maybe try weaning in a bit when he learns varied tastes a bit more so he doesn't just at the moment find new tastes and go for it all or nothing.
maybe say we will have 2 bottles of squash at the weekend and he can count 1,2 and then they are gone.becasue in the end I think its only fiar to give them fruit drinks it shouldn't always be water forever that just miserable lol!

Canibuildasnowman · 12/12/2018 17:19

Squash has sugar, non sugar ones are full of chemicals. It’s a no win, best thing you can do for his teeth is bin the sugar now.

kateandme · 12/12/2018 17:21

also please can we not confuse sugar free drink with obesity.if he is having the right amount of fluid in sugar free squash he will not be putting on weight from this!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 12/12/2018 17:28

@Buggeroffbingbunny - could you try putting a slice of orange in his drink of water - it will taste of orange, but with none of the sugar.

You could do this in conjunction with gradually reducing the strength of the squash until is is 99% water, and then stop the squash but carry on the orange slice - that might be less difficult for you than making him stop cold turkey.

Yohooo · 12/12/2018 17:44

Mine only ever had water even as teens. They had fizzy drinks or juice when we went out as a treat. Now they are adults they still
Prefer water over other drinks and will often just drink water if they grout to eat (even if we are paying). I drink a lot of water too which helps.

I wasn't super strict with sweets or desserts but I didn't understand why people give kids juice. It seems easy not too.

Yohooo · 12/12/2018 17:46

BTW the thing that got my kids drinking even more water was a fridge with an ice dispenser and water dispenser.
They loved it and would help themselves to water from a young age

BlueThesaurusRex · 12/12/2018 17:53

In exactly the same position - DH gave our son juice because he felt sorry for him drinking ‘plain boring water’ Angry

now that’s what he demands at home! I don’t give in and continue to give him water (which he throws around angrily but gives in and drinks eventually)

DH continues to give him (very watered down) juice Hmm