Does it matter if 3-yr-old drinks only milk?

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Just wondering... my DS loves milk, and already drinks it for breakfast, tea and in the afternoon for a snack. So far I have tried to get him to drink water with his lunch instead, just so he gets used to it; but this is causing us lots of grief lately as he keeps begging for milk instead. (He does have juice sometimes too but I try to keep it as a bit of a treat).

I would like him to learn to drink plain water sometimes, but just not sure whether this is a battle worth fighting at the moment or something I should just let go for now. So what do you think, should I allow the milk and accept that he never drinks water (except perhaps at picnics and similar)? Or is it worth insisting that just for this one meal he tries some water? He is quite skinny, so I am not too worried about him getting overweight, even though he insists it has to be full-fat milk too. Thank you!

I know a girl who wouldn't eat at this age & survived for months on practically nothing but milk, her Mum was tearing her hair out, but the same girl is now a very bright & healthy teen, so it obviously did her no harm

that said, I too have a DD & it has been hard to get her to give up milk as a toddler, realised we had too, when she had to have a tooth removed at barely 2 1/2 :( & as she had a very healthy diet & didn't get sweets etc etc, our Dentist blamed it on a the milk, as it contains a lot of sugar

we managed by very gradually watering her milk down,just enough so she didn't notice, a few days to a week at a time, but also replacing it with watered down fruit juice etc, it ended up the juice tasted better than her milk, so after that it was easy as she would ask for juice......don't let them see you do it though, or you'll have war on your hands...if they notice, just blame the cows...lol

DD ended up lactose intolerant, so good thing we managed.....never have been able to get her drink water other than the occasional ice cold, iced water though, she still hates the stuff & will happily dehydrate rather than drink the stuff :(

I wouldn't worry too much about it - milk is full of nutrients. The only points I'd raise are the sugar issue (quite a lot of natural sugar in milk - I try to give it to my DS with a straw as this is better for his teeth), and also it does fill kids up quite a bit, but as long as he's eating his meals as well, it's better than a load of squash!

I wouln't worry too much too, once he is in school he will have to get used to it.

Good, sounds like I don't need to stress too much about it! At least he does eat well usually, and does drink water when he really has to (he quite likes having it in sports bottles if we are out, just never wants it at home). So it's not such a big deal and I can just stop having battles about it, phew.