AIBU to be surprised by a five-year-old given cola in a bottle?

[Freshtona]

On a flight the other day and a child of about 5 was having total meltdown and was given a baby bottle with Coca-Cola to calm them! The parents had bottles of coke with them to top it up!

I think child was ND, but regardless of that, why would anyone give that to a 5-year old child??? I try not to judge other parents and my own DC aren't strangers to sugar but cola is not allowed. The caffeine and sugar would surely make meltdowns even worse, not to mention the effect on teeth.

I agree that children are highly unlikely to voluntarily starve themselves to death. But this isn’t helpful knowledge for parents of ND children who have restrictive eating.

I used to work with families in a type of social care situation. In rare situations I have come across children who have spent a lot of time hungry, because of neglect. They may or may not get a hot meal some days, some days there will be food in their cupboard, some days there will be nothing. In my experience these kids usually eat anything but that’s because they have experienced food insecurity over a long period of time.

it’s not the kind of situation you would want or could recreate to get your ND child to eat.

I understand this, and agree. I just don’t agree when people say my ND child will only eat this else they will starve and die.

I think there should be a way to harness science, common sense and some kindness to help these families and their children.

it does help anyone, not the economy, not taxpayers and certainly not the children themselves. We all want our children to live healthy and full lives and that starts with food and some discipline as well

Unlikely to die because the parents would be at the hospital and the child gets a feeding tube and drip.
However, most families prefer to avoid this if they can

There are many other options … don’t give them pop in the first place and they don’t ask for it.

You think that's bad!

A few years ago we overheard a conversation in the pub where a new dad was telling his friend he keeps a bottle of coke by the bed to feed his 4 week old baby when he wakes in the night, and was surprised when he was told this wasn't on!

ND or not, I’d be judging too.
I have a ND kid - I wouldn’t know whether cola helps with meltdowns because it wouldn’t occur to me to try! Even if it helps, it’s a bad strategy!

Whilst this is not something I would set out to do as a parent, I feel the judgement you are showing here is really unfair.

You've said that the child seemed to be ND but haven't considered that it is because of the child's additional needs that this could be happening.

You have absolutely no idea why these decisions have been made and where they've come from. Please don't judge others in such a way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-38141319

This article, may give a little insight and perspective.

Madness.

Whenever anyone on Mumsnet says 'AIBU to be surprised by...' what they actually mean is 'I saw something that I judged and want to have a gleefully sniping session about it, but I'm going to reposition it as shock to make me sound less bitchy'.

Ok bright spark. They won't swallow water, squash, milk or anything else..do you try pop or go straight to hospital for a drip?

I would have gladly given mine cannabis gummies to calm them down in a flight.

(joking, obv)

What did they drink as babies? Presumably milk or water was acceptable at some point or they wouldn’t have survived.

I don't think this flight was long enough for a kid to die of dehydration...

This would not happen either, I think maybe read some science and biology books about how the body and brain works. Your brain is hardwired to keep you alive, a child is more in touch with their nature, hence why you don’t see any anorexic toddlers. If hungry they eat.

Op im a flight attendant and children asking for and parents allowing cans of coke to drink with breakfast is a regular occurrence. We also get the parents who think they are taking the “ healthy” option by allowing their kids to drink copious amounts of diet coke or Coke Zero!

🤣🤣🤣

So would you be more or less judgemental or less if the child died of dehydration ?

Sometimes factors can occur which makes a child suddenly stop drinking. Illness can be one of those factors.
A child ill and not drinking is a worry and sometimes given them something they can tolerate is a short term solution.
For some children they then are able to tolerate other drinks again.

For some children with food issues this doesn't happen they associate the drinks like water as illness and the drink they were able to drink as health improves as a safe food/drink.

The more pressure you use to get them to have something they feel is unsafe they more they will find the item unsafe.

We went out to eat recently at a restaurant with family friends. They have multiple kids, youngest is 5. My friend literally poured some Pepsi into a plastic cup I had out for my 2 year old (our drinks- his water - hadn't arrived yet).

She was shocked that I quickly removed it and rinsed out the cup.

He's 2... he has never had cola and I certainly don't plan on randomly giving him some 🙄

In most cases yes but some children don't have a biological instinct to eat/drink that most humans have

People do do it. I remember a school Mum who used to go on and on about her child and how they never settled particularly at night, and how they were probably ND, and no one understands etc. She invited me and my ExH round for dinner one night and said child was drinking a Monster drink at 830 at night. YANBU.

Oh well next time some child screams on the flight and parents won't do anything for fear of being judge for the techniques they use to quieten the child.- you won't be able to moan

Reminds me of Airplane. Whisky? Certainly not! Snorts cocaine 😂

How do they survive babyhood?

So would you be more or less judgemental or less if the child died of dehydration ?

What an utterly ridiculous post. Why would you even bother posting something so stupid?

When did I moan...? I don't actually moan about kids crying and stuff on flights. I an sympathetic to them