AIBU to not want fizzy drinks at my kids party

[Anorthernlass]

So to be clear I'd bought the diet, caffeine free varieties, plus other homemade fizzy stuff just so they're not missing out (yes I know about the sweetners but it's a one-off). So when a parent turns up with 40 cans of sugar loaded drinks and they all run to grab them before I've even noticed or had a chance to offer anything else... its very annoying! Cue spirited, cheeky kids turning into little vandals - tantrums and tummyaches galore... not an exaggeration.

Cue spirited, cheeky kids turning into little vandals - tantrums and tummyaches galore... not an exaggeration

That is very much an exaggeration. A can of coke does not change behaviour or cause stomach aches. Unclench

Just read your update and seen they are 10! That’s quite old enough for the odd fizzy drink - I was imagining about 6/7

If they were age 5 then fair enough, would be an odd choice to give them a load of cans of fizzy drink, i think most parties for that age they generally just have squash, age 10 wouldn't even think about it TBH.

Yes roughly 40 cans of coke for less than 10 kids. Tbh it wasn't a party - just lots of kids

I think you are being a bit precious tbh. It’s a kids’ party. The one time the sugar police are not welcome. Let it go.

Well it can't have been disproven because you've stated

Cue spirited, cheeky kids turning into little vandals - tantrums and tummyaches galore... not an exaggeration.

So what caused it then? Although I find it hard to believe every child was affected.

2 things
1 It was a young kids birthday party. They were all overexcited, had you fed them only spring water and carrot sticks they would have been just the same.

Having said that, you are right to think sweetener is much better than sugar, but i really don't understand the need for any fizzy drinks at a children's party. My kids were first introduced to 'pop' at friends parties at about year 5. We never had it at home or restaurants

I think it's really rude to bring 40 cans of anything to your party, whether it was a proper party or just a play date as it suggests that what you're providing is unsatisfactory. That's over a litre per child!

At 10, yes to fizzy drinks. Mine didn't get Coke due to my caffeine issues so I would usually buy cloudy lemonade. I preferred them to have real sugar rather than sweeteners though it's harder now than 15 years ago

Yes about 3 each. Yes I should have hidden them but I was doing an activity with a few of them - maybe kids have stronger stomachs- if I had 3 full fat cokes I get a tummy ache and bad headache from the caffeine.

Yes but for some kids it has pretty much the same effect!

I think 10 year olds are a bit old for tantrums! And what got vandalised?
Poor you!

Did you mention to your guests that you didn't want them to bring anything to your party?

I bought one diet caffeine free bottle so they would at least have a few sips

That is the most MN thing I've ever read.

Cheer up, at least it wasn't cocaine and vodka redbulls!

You bought one bottle of diet, caffeine free coke between 10 kids so they could have a few sips? Now wonder they all went for the cans. They're 10. Mine had been given cans at school parties by that age.

Let them be normal.

I think as it was your party you were entitled to return the cans of pop to the parent or simply say you weren't offering it. I can't imagine how the kids got to it before you did and the parent who brought it was very rude.

Surely a person with some manners would have handed them to you and said you could use them if you wanted to ? (or not)

On the other hand, pop with aspartame or saccharin(or any of the others) is no better. It's linked to the development of metabolic diseases like diabetes. But that's a whole other thread :)

Probably the bottle of sugar-free, caffeine-free, joy-free pop. One of the kids tipped it down the sink in a Coca Cola frenzy

Diet drinks badly affects one of my children. We rarely have pop, but when we do, my youngest needs the sugar version otherwise she feels ill.

What a very odd thread, not least because there is absolutely no truth in the sugar link and kids turning into thugs.

a parent contributed some pop. All you can do is control what your kid has, trying to dictate none of the others can have it either is just so very weird.

10 year olds getting tummy ache from a can of coke?

Seems a bit improbable to me TBH. Mind you, my 11 year old only drinks milk and water, so probably would, if you could persuade him to drink one (which you wouldn't, he doesn't even like touching the sealed bottle... sigh). My 8 year old would get through a can or two without major ill effect - would probably find the third abandoned somewhere with a couple of sips out of it.

This

How were you going to give them all a “few sips” each. I can’t even perceive how that would play out.

I often take full fat coke to events with me as so many people only have the sugar free (full of artificial sweeteners) stuff and that is guaranteed to give me a headache and a stomach ache (and worse). Perhaps that parent knows that the sugar free stuff makes their children ill………

Of course sugar gives a sugar rush. And caffeine will have an effect, too.

I wouldn't worry too much for 10 yos.