To ration milk or not to ration milk

[babycatcher411]

That is the question!

Seeking advice here, as much as whether IABU.

Today at the dinner table it came to head that DP thinks DS drinks way too much milk. He thinks it’s unreasonable and isn’t a cost we should accommodate. He thinks I need to make DS drink something else.

This has mainly come up in discussion because the last 2 food shop periods (we do a big shop every 2 weeks) I’ve had to do a couple of topups of milk mid way.

Usually we buy 3 4pinters, for 2 adults and 1 child (11). Mostly this lasts almost the 2 weeks, sometimes I will buy an extra 4pinter towards the end.

I did point out that I have recently been drinking more milk, because of heartburn (36/40 pregnant) and have started having cereal at breakfast so we are going through it more quickly than we used to.
DP is adamant it’s down to DS consumption, that I should be stricter, that he was told off (and rightly so!!) as a child for drinking too much milk. I said I’m not rationing milk.

I can’t actually seem to find on google how much milk an 11 year old should drink.
I would say normally DS has milk with cereals (maybe 300mls), and a glass of milk in the evening (probably another 300mls). Sometimes he’ll have an extra glass but this is not every day, just as he feels like it.
Is this too much milk?

I go through 8 pints a week. DH doesnt drink it and only DD (age 4) eats cereal at weekends. She only drinks milk or water but prefers milk. I have a hot milk drink before bed every night and drink lots of tea. We use more milk in Summer as I drink it cold instead of tea.

Its not the most expensive foodstuff to be overindulging in and is actually very good for you

I think he must think milk costs more than it does!

Actually kids got 3 1/2 pints per week and adults got 2 - 3 pints during WW2, so per week would have mostly been 8 - 9 pints per week for your household. Your usual consumption is 12 - 16 pints per fortnight, so less than during WW2. I think your DH needs to wind his neck in!

We get through 20 - 24 pints per week for 2 adults and 2 teens. My kids love milk! When DS1 is home it's 24 - 28.

Is he a Tory OP? Does he have ginger hair? A penchant for navy skirt suits and ruining the country during the 80's?

@Graphista
Money is not tight, not remotely.

No he’s not his son biologically.
We often come to head (not major disagreements, but certainly requiring discussion) about things than I don’t think DP realises is normal behaviour for a child of his age.

DS could drink a pint a day and it would still only be a couple of quid per week. If DH is worried about money, suggest stopping his crisps or biscuits or cigarettes or whatever else he wastes money on. Then you’ll have enough cash to afford milk for your growing child.

www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/PIN1297_Calcium_for_infants_and_children_w.pdf

Use the link above to calculate calcium requirements.

I was surprised that different brands of formula has such a difference in the amount of calcium.

We go through 8 pint of dairy milk and 2 litres of soya milk between 2 days. I think my 2 years old has about 3 litres of her soya milk a week, plus smaller cartons so the total will be more.

Who actually notices how much milk you are going through, it's just one of those things you buy and then buy another when you need it surely? There's no way I would buy 2 weeks worth of milk at a time anyway, that is strange to!

@FiveRedBricks

I think he must think milk costs more than it does!

Well that's easy enough to remedy - send him to the supermarket or get him to look online.

When I lived at home we would easily go through 24 pints a week, 4 of us - 3 children and mum. We all loved milk and would drink it by the pint.. I don't buy it anymore because I would just drink it all, going to have to show restraint once DD reaches 1 and needs it.

Of course it's not too much.

Cows Milk does not contain calcium that is of significant use by the human body - it is plant based calcium that our bodies can access - this load of nonsense regarding milk from cows being a wonderful source of calcium for humans is a myth.
By 11 a child is totally capable of extending their range of drink choices, still consuming a considerable amount of cows milk is both uneccessary and unhealthy.

My ds is 10 (nearly 11). He only drinks milk and water. I don't ration milk. I buy about 10-12 pints a week and that's for 2 adults, 2 DC.

No he’s not his son biologically

Says it all really. Be alert for other situations where your DH is being greedy with your child and trying to deprive him of essentials. Someone who tries to take milk from a child is unlikely to stop there.

Ok so it sounds like he's just being a twat about it for no good reason then. Tell him he's talking nonsense.

If he’s worried about the cost of groceries I’m sure there is something he could cut down on rather than restricting a child’s milk, it’s not like it’s coke and crisps! What an odd thing for him to think needs restricting.

Funny, we had a similar conversation in our house today! DH thinks DS12 drinks too much milk, I don’t. We go through around 1l a day between the 3 of us, and most of that is DS taking glasses of milk at night. I don’t see a problem - he is v tall, normal BMI and very sporty, and eats a good range of food. I’d rather he took milk than other rubbishy drinks like fruit shoots, squash etc

Thanks @Jackshouse that’s the sort of thing I was trying to find when I googled it, but just kept coming up with American websites or stuff just about toddlers

Your dp is a knob

hth

Blimry there's stingy and then there's your DH! I would, however, be concerned this is the start of your DH begrudging spending money on your son.

We get through about 20 pints a week, with 2 adults and 2 small children. I have thought about changing myself to non dairy alternatives as I am a wannabe vegan, but that would have little impact on our milk consumption as the kids and my husband love it.

We buy a lot of milk! I hardly drink it which leaves my husband and my two DC - I think we buy 12 pints a week! Not a problem at all they need the calcium!

Harvard appears to disagree with you @TAMumof3

@babycatcher411 you may find the harvard link useful too in talking about the wider benefits of milk

I do think he is being an idiot about the milk situation, and relating it to cost. He’s not remotely tight financially with anything else food related, if anything I’m the tight arse when it comes to saying things cost too much unnecessarily so it was such a strange conversation to be having really because I just didn’t ‘get it’.