To ask at what age you let your DC regularly drink soft drinks?

[UnderTheAntenna]

i.e. not just water or milk (hot choc). How old were they when you let them drink soft drinks on non-special occasions?

[OutwithMyRemit]

Mine are 4 and 7 btw. Have to say most of the answers here don't really with what I observe IRL

[PinkieTuscadero]

My 16 year old drinks water only and no fizz at all, he just started having an occasional cup of tea.

Would the 16 year old be allowed a fizzy drink if they wanted one?

[Ohyesiam]

My kids were in years 5 and 6 before they queried fizzy drinks being just for weddings.

[trilbydoll]

My two would rather end up on a drip for dehydration than drink water I didn't give them squash until it was obvious that they were simply not drinking at all.

They have some of my lemonade if we go out for dinner but I don't routinely buy it for home, I only drink water at home and dh drinks squash.

[EyeDrops]

I don't know about anyone else, but this thread is making me reeeeeally want a fizzy, sugary drink now... cherryade or something. I know it's crap but it's tasty crap!

[GunpowderGelatine]

Only on MN do people not buy squash for their 15yo. IRL people let their children have it from 1.

I even let my 6yo have fizzy pop now and again

[crispsloveme]

Getting fluids in my 3 year old is the most important thing. Like me she is not a big drinker (not talking about the wine here 😂)

She can help herself to cartons of drink in the cupboard. We have fruit juices, water, flavoured water and fruit shoot type drinks. All no added sugar apart from the fruit juice. She will pick what she fancy.

I also have squash. She enjoys a smoothie made by her Daddy and occasionally a milk shake (Little Jude's) She doesn't have fizzy drinks as she is only 3. Can't see it being an issue when she is a teenager though. Until then it will likely be a treat.

[itsabongthing]

Loving this classic Mumsnet thread where many people might allow squash occasionally on special occasions and their 13, 15, 21 year olds never drink fizzy and always choose water, and why would you even think of having fizzy in the house? and of course there’d be more likely just to knock up some homemade lemonade!

[GunpowderGelatine]

I also find it quite ironic that those clutching their pearls at the though of squash let their child regularly have the milk of another species (with added sugar and antibiotics of course) as if it's a healthy choice? My kids don't touch cows milk btw

[crispsloveme]

Let's hope you are all using bottled water incase the Government are poisoning the water supply 🤔😂

[shesgrownhorns]

And how many of you open the wine everynight whilst making the kids drink only water 🙄

[KneelJustKneel]

There isnt sugar and antibiotics in UK milk (obviously if we leave the eu lots of laws and regulations might change)

[KneelJustKneel]

We just dont have fizzy in the house as we dont really drink it either.

[le42]

Huh? This thread is so weird.

When I was a kid I was always allowed a coke at the cinema/out for tea etc and we had fruit juice all the time at home.

I get not having fizzy drinks in the house but it's really odd all the people with teenage kids dictating what they drink.... at 14 I had a job so I could buy whatever drink I fancied....

With my DS I'll have good quality juice in for small glasses and no fizzy drinks but I wouldn't not let him have them ever!

[CarolDanvers]

Actually the pearl clutching and competitive levels of aghast-ness seem to be coming more from those who do give their children squash and fizzy drinks. Those that don’t have just said they don’t and why they’ve made that choice. Many of those that do seem to be taking it quite personally that other people don’t and are accusing them of lying. I couldn’t care less what you give your kids to drink frankly and have expressed no shock or criticism of your choices. Why so judgmental and scoffing at mine?

[Mabellavender]

Mine have been allowed it at restaurants or with a takeaway (or at parties) from about 4!

The pearl clutching on here is hilarious

[Mabellavender]

Carol you might not have but others definitely have!

[UnderTheAntenna]

I also find it quite ironic that those clutching their pearls at the though of squash let their child regularly have the milk of another species (with added sugar and antibiotics of course) as if it's a healthy choice? My kids don't touch cows milk btw
Surely, unless you are a cannibal, any thing plant or meat based that you eat or drink is from another species? The antibiotic thing does worry me though, and we have switched to organic dairy products where possible.

[GunpowderGelatine]

Well quite OP, we have cut down massively on animal products in our house for that very reason, especially meat, but we do like to indulge in a bit of squash now and again

[CarolDanvers]

My parents don’t drink anything but fizzy drinks or tea. Seriously. My Dad has a bottle of orangeade by his bed for if he wakes up thirsty during the night. My Mum buys 7 bottles of own brand diet lemonade each week and that’s what she drinks - a bottle a day. Day to day we never drank a drop of liquid that wasn’t squash as children - lemon or orange, never ribena as my Mum didn’t like it. She used to order six bottles of pop a week from the Alpine pop man and I was a big fan of cream soda. I honestly can’t stand squash now though and that’s partly why I never had it in the house or gave it to my kids. Myself I love room temperature Evian and the occasional cherry Pepsi Max as my preferred drinks but usually it’s filtered tap water.

[meowcatmeow]

My kids drink gallons; they both do a lot of sport so drink to prevent dehydration, help with recovery etc. The 14yr old has SIS rehydration tabs and the 9yr old has water for training and racing.

At home, they drink water and sugar free Vimto plus a glass of orange/apple juice with dinner. Neither care for milk unless particularly tired.
Neither care for Coke etc but i wouldn't ban it, it would be moderated like sweets/choc etc.

[Springwalk]

I am quite incredulous at the posts who seem to question the families that choose to avoid fizzy or sugary drinks.

I have been told by every single dentist for the past 14 plus years to avoid ever giving dc sugary drinks (and raisins but that’s a whole different thread) it rots their teeth and causes obesity.

There can’t be a parent alive that doesn’t know this by now. If they choose to ignore the advice fine, but I have always taken on board what professionals tell me when it comes to the health of my children.
As a result none of the dc have fillings or a weight problem. I would say the advice was absolutely spot on.

8 teaspoons of sugar in one can of coke. Horrific.

[chocolatelog]

5 year old only likes water but likes to have a bit of my tea. She would drink fizzy drinks but I don't let her.
2 year old prefers squash to water. And has milk before bed to settle her.
They both have fruit shoots but I don't buy them with my shopping they have them if we're out.

14 year old has fizzy drinks
16 year old has fizzy/energy drinks. But takes bottled water out with him to school and if he goes out in the evenings.

17 year old drinks a lot of tea, fizzy drinks and alcohol when she's at party's 🤦🏻‍♀️

[UnderTheAntenna]

The only fizzy drink I have in the house is coke which we weren't allowed as children because it had cocaine in it... and I/MIL only drink it if I have a headache or not feeling well so the DC regard it as medicine for adults 😂

[Springwalk]

Actually it’s ten teaspoons of sugar in a can of coke I have just checked.

Really can not believe it’s even legal for dc to drink it at all.