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Original poster

Parents "sneaking" pop into water bottles - opinions please?

334 replies

Bozza · 15/09/2005 10:47

DS has just started reception and they have a policy that all the children are allowed to take in a bottle of water which are kept on a tray and they are allowed to help themselves as and when. Think this sort of idea is becoming pretty common. So I went out and bought DS a nice new Star Wars bottle to take it in and he was quite happy.

However loads of the parents are complaining and saying their kids won't drink water. Some of them have started sending in flavoured water and ribena. One even sent diet coke. I'm a bit peeved about this because DS knows they are only allowed water but that some of the others are taking these things. I know its only a small thing but I do think it is giving the kids the message that its OK to undermine the teacher and I think that its the start of the discipline problems that afflict lots of schools - the sort of thing that HMB describes very eloquently. What do you think?

OP posts:
Twiglett · 15/09/2005 11:06

every time a child takes a sip of juice saliva activates in an attempt to get the mouth's ph back to normal so no decay occurs .. it takes 20 minutes for the mouth to get back to normal

so if a child is constantly sipping at juice during the day then there is more chance of needing fillings

it is far better to give them a carton of juice that they drink with lunch and water the rest of the time

I have learned this to my cost .. DS (4.5) now has 2 fillings ..even though its because his enamel didn't form properly juice is a contributory factor

I don't like juice is not an excuse to make your child different I don't think , sorry

Original poster
Bozza · 15/09/2005 11:06

I think the teacher is trying to get the message across but it bugs me that DS is coming home with all this in the second week of term. And gdg (thought you were Skate these days?) my DS does not usually drink water at home either but that doesn't mean he shouldn't at school.

I overheard the diet coke mother saying that she struggles to get her DD to drink and at least she knows that she will drink coke. DS has never been a big drinker either has it happens. Anyway I was glad that he only had water when he took it on himself to put his water bottle in his book bag with the top not properly fastened. So at least I just had a wet mess rather than a sticky wet mess.

OP posts:
Gobbledigook · 15/09/2005 11:07

ROFLMAO at this thread!!

emkana · 15/09/2005 11:07

It's not a criminal offence, but shouldn't children learn that there are rules and that you are expected to stick to them? How are you going to explain to them that this rule is okay to break, but others they are expected to follow?

puddle · 15/09/2005 11:07

People who don't like water - don't you mean you prefer to have it with juice? Don't understand what there is not to like to be honest, it's water.

I agree that parents should follow the guidelines too.

daisy1999 · 15/09/2005 11:07

if the school say water only then parents should stick to it. If they have a problem with the rules then they should bring it up with the school and try to change the rules not break them.

Twiglett · 15/09/2005 11:08

juice stains when it spills

one kid has apple juice the next kid wants it

they are in school

they should follow school rules

this is actually making me quite irate and I need to calm down

emkana · 15/09/2005 11:08

I am gobsmacked at somebody giving Diet Coke to a child... all those sweeteners...

wartybosoms · 15/09/2005 11:09

it's not about whether juice is harmful - it's about following a simple, basic request

LadyTophamHatt · 15/09/2005 11:09

when DS1 started reception (he's y2 now)he wouldn't touch his drink all day.
I tried everything to get him to drink it, but everyday it would come home full.

Eventually he'd want to drink it on the way home, then he'd drink some in class during the day.

We've got to the stage now that he won't drink anything but water at home or school.
Now, if I put juice in his lunch box it comes home full, whereas he'll drink the whole bottle of water.

I have never and would never put juice in the class bottle. I know I'll go through exactly the same problem with DS2 when he starts reception but I'll just carry on until he drinks it.

Socci · 15/09/2005 11:09

Message withdrawn

Twiglett · 15/09/2005 11:10

bravo Socci you have just succeeded in sounding exactly like my mother

and baby rice in formula at 6 weeks helps them sleep more

emkana · 15/09/2005 11:10

But Socci that's the same argument as saying "My Auntie Mabel smoked until she was 95 and never had lung cancer."

Gobbledigook · 15/09/2005 11:10

Twiglett, I totally see your point. You are right.

It's just making me laugh though!

Puddle - I could say 'what's not to like about cheese, or what's not to like about tomatoes' - it's personal taste! Plus it could depend where you live - I find the water in London quite palatable and could drink it but our water is disgusting and i can't bear it - it makes me gag!

unicorn · 15/09/2005 11:10

Of course we all agree no fizzy stuff.
but.. (and I don't believe they drink all day anyway - just at break time) if a child isn't having any fluid during school time, they will suffer.

Surely a watered down juice is better than nothing?

colditz · 15/09/2005 11:11

Actually, just to fan the flames, I landed my self in hospital at the age of five with a kidney infection that could have been prevented, had I had something to drink at school that I liked.

So, no, kids won't always drink if they are thirsty enough to make themselves ill. I did make myself ill. Some kids would rather be thirsty than drink something they don't like.

daisy1999 · 15/09/2005 11:11

and I bet socci your gran smoked 100 a day and lived to be 150!

tissy · 15/09/2005 11:12

yes socci, I remember DelRosa as well,BUT I didn't take it to school and suck on it all day. We had a small bottle of milk at playtime!

Original poster
Bozza · 15/09/2005 11:12

You see its not about having a carton of juice at lunch but having a bottle of water that is available all day. My real problem is the mixed messages. Why should I be telling DS that he can only have water at school and then in week 2 he's coming home and telling me that at least 4 out of 15/16 children (only half a class until January) are having something different. He has watered down fruit juice at home.

OP posts:
Lonelymum · 15/09/2005 11:12

I am all in favour of children being able to drink more during the day and agree with those who say that water is sufficient. If you are thirsty, anyone can drink water and those who don't are just indulging themselves. However, as an ex teacher, I do wonder what it must be like with chidlren popping off to the toilet the whole time. When I taught juniors, there was the odd toilet trip each day, but if you are teaching infants who have access to water all day, I wonder how much the trips to the loo have increased? It really would be a PITA to be trying to teach and having children popping out all the time. Plus, when they are in the loo, they are not supervised and can get up to all sorts of disruptive mischief.

tabitha · 15/09/2005 11:12

It's only recently that schools have allowed anything to drink in the classrooms with the result that children became dehydrated, lost concentration etc, etc.
I think the issue here is not whether juice is good for kids or bad from them, but the fact that the school have, for very good reasons I think, set a policy to allow water and only water. It might not seem a huge deal for parents to add a drop of juice, or give flavoured water, but when you think about it, it really is. It's the 'thin end of the wedge' so to speak. If we want discipline in schools and respect for teachers/authority then we,the parents, have to respect them as well. If you're going to take that attitude that this doesn't matter then where do you stop.
There's a uniform policy - but my little darling doesn't like blazers so he/she will wear his own jacket.
There's a policy not to take children out of school - but we can get a much cheaper holiday during term-time so we'll take the kids out of school.
The school have given out homework but little Johnny/Jeannie didn't want to do it, so I didn't make them.
And so on and so on and so on....

unicorn · 15/09/2005 11:13

re following the rules, well sometimes rules are wrong, and should be challenged.

I am currently querying why dd cannot where her green x code shoes (they flash on the bottom)... they are supposed to be a safety device for kids to be seen in the dark.. but the school sees them as a 'fashion' item. I disagree.

Chandra · 15/09/2005 11:13

Twigglet... baby rice in formula???? please??? it's rice biscuits what you have to put into the bottle!!! (from 3m)

Marina · 15/09/2005 11:15

I spy GdG in shock "something nice about the Home Counties" revelation down this thread
I do agree that London tapwater is much nicer than what you have, GdG.

daisy1999 · 15/09/2005 11:15

bozza I would just explain to your little one that the rules are water only and that sometimes other people don't stick to the rules but that doesn't mean that he should do the wrong thing too.

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