Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
News
Original poster

Mum takes 5 y/o out of school as he won't drink water!

112 replies

princesscc · 29/03/2007 09:16

Anyone see this on GMTV this morning. A school in Yorkshire has introduced drinking water during the day (in lesson times), but this child won't drink water and his mum want him to be able to have jiuce instead. School has said no and so she has taken him out of school as a protest.

Is she being just a bit ott or do you think that it is acceptable for her to take him out, as she isnt getting her own way? Discuss!

OP posts:
Saturn74 · 29/03/2007 09:19

Does she have other issues with the school too?
Sounds like there might be more to this than meets the eye.
If not, then she appears to be causing a big scene over nothing.
I'm glad the children have access to water during lessons - it's a great way to aid concentration.

Roskva70percentcocoa · 29/03/2007 09:21

Personally I think she's over-reacting. All humans need water, and if her little one isn't keen on it at the moment, he'll soon start doing what his friends are doing. I wonder if the child may be a seriously spoiled brat who always gets his own way.

earlgrey · 29/03/2007 09:22

Well, if he flatly won't drink anything but juice I wouldn't want a dehydrated child every day! But having said that, if you're thirsty enough you'll drink whatever quenches that, surely?

Original poster
princesscc · 29/03/2007 09:23

Exactly - Her point appears to be why should he conform? Err, coz that's what school is about and if he's that thirsty during the day, he'll drink anything.

OP posts:
CadburyCremeSquonk · 29/03/2007 09:24

They did some research up here and discovered that children appear to learn better if they have a constant supply of water. Our local primary school introduced it last year and the governors bought every child their own water bottle.

I think she has a major problem, tbh. It is not that they are giving the children a drink they are giving them water If her child doesn't want water, nobody is going to force it down his throat. It is there if he wants it, that's all.

silly cow (imo)

SSShakeTheChi · 29/03/2007 09:25

Well I dunno the whole background to it but I can't stand this nanny state approach. If they offer water, great but how if they refuse to let him take a bottle of juice along, find that unnecessarily dictatorial.

Original poster
princesscc · 29/03/2007 09:25

He's allow juice in his lunch box, so he's not going all day without a drink.

OP posts:
Carmenere · 29/03/2007 09:26

she is an idiot. There are many things in life that you will need to protect your dc from. The school giving water is not one of them no matter what way you look at it.

SSShakeTheChi · 29/03/2007 09:26

well if he can take a bottle with him, find the mum is over-reacting

Hassled · 29/03/2007 09:28

Why doesn't she just cheat? My 4 year old would drink water, but only if absolutely desperate, so I make very very dilute squash and put it in a whatever-the-opposite-of-transparent-is bottle - yes, I'm pandering to a ridiculous whim, it's so dilute it tastes like water anyway but he's happy and the school are none the wiser!

Roskva70percentcocoa · 29/03/2007 09:29

But as the nanny state has decreed that 'juice is bad - it rots teeth' and some solicitor somewhere will take on her case to sue the school if that happens, then things get banned.

bozza · 29/03/2007 09:29

This is ridiculous. They are not saying he can't drink juice all day. I think most schools would allow a carton of juice in a packed lunch. Just that he can't drink juice in the classroom. It is hardly a real hardship. My DS never drunk much water before he started school but takes a bottle every day which largely gets ignored. But on hot days in summer it will sometimes suddenly get drunk.

I started a thread on this when DS was in reception and got quite a lot of responses. This was because one mother at DS's school was complaining that the teacher had told her off for the contents of her DD's water bottle - it was diet coke....

Pamina · 29/03/2007 09:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oliveoil · 29/03/2007 09:29

dd1 didn't drink water at all, only vvvvv diluted juice

then she started playgoup

who only offered milk or water

she soon drank water

glad the school have stood firm

women is nobboid

Ladymuck · 29/03/2007 09:29

Because if they allow one child to bring in juice, then they have to allow all children to bring in juice, and then you will get the child who only drinks smoothies or milkshakes. Or you will then get the child who will only drink coke. But of course they still need to be hydrated. So you get the situation escalating from having a class of 29 who will drink water (which is easy to clear up if it does spill) to having a classroom looking like the drinks section of McDs.

The kid won't die because he can't have juice for 3 hours. The mum is giving him a wonderful example of how to behave like a spolit brat.

Socci · 29/03/2007 09:30

Message withdrawn

ilovethis · 29/03/2007 09:30

why does it aid concentration? id have thought it would aid constant interruptions to take kids to bathroom. maybe its the little breaks that aid concentration not the water? just wondering...

Hulababy · 29/03/2007 09:31

Schools won't want a whole load of children with juice in the classrooms. If spilt juice makes a lot more mess than plain water.

If the child can drink juice at lunch time then I cannot see what her problem is.

He drinks water in class or nothing.. IMO that is very simply choice. Can't give in to just one child or where does it stop - my child will only drink a Fruitshoot? My child will only drink coke? .....

SSShakeTheChi · 29/03/2007 09:32

I'm a bit confused. I thought at first the school was providing water. So the bottles are in the classroom and the children can help themselves during lessons if they're thirsty but they won't provide juice so if you want juice, you have to bring it yourself. Is that right? I don't see a problem with this, just give your dc what YOU want them to drink if they're fussy and that's that.

Or is the school saying the dp can only give their dc water to drink at school? This approach turns me off TBH

Hulababy · 29/03/2007 09:32

I think it helps to drink water throughout the day as many people live their life slightly dehydrated. We are not taslkignm about drinking loads of water, just sips every so often. Once the novelty wears off children are generally sensible about how much they drink.

Ladymuck · 29/03/2007 09:33

Hassled, actually that its just as insidious imo. If the school has a rule of water only and you are helping your child to get one over on the teachers, what example are you setting her?

And ime the teachers do know! Their sense of smell is just fine. They just won't tell a 4yo off for something for which they know that you're responsible.

Hulababy · 29/03/2007 09:33

I am assuming that juice is only allowed for dirnking at lunch time, as part of packed lunch.

The water is for drinking in class.

bozza · 29/03/2007 09:33

That works hassled until your 4yo lets on to all the other 4yos and all the mothers who are sending water start getting bombarded with requests for juice....

chopchopbusybusy · 29/03/2007 09:34

Children being allowed to drink water during lesson times is something that has been introduced to many schools in recent years and I think this is a good idea. I didn't see the programme this morning but I would be very surprised if he was unable to drink juice (or milk - is it junior school?) during his break time and then again at lunch. So yes, I think she is being totally ott. If he is really thirsty he will drink water ffs.

Socci · 29/03/2007 09:34

Message withdrawn