Fruitshoots at parties - what's the etiquette?

[OldieMum]

Fruitshoots seem to make DD feel very odd indeed. I don't have scientific evidence, of course, but DD has been given them at two parties over the last few months and has, both times, become tearful and tantrum-prone afterwards, saying that she feels very strange. She needed to lie down for several hours after the last party. She normally drinks water or diluted juice at home and I assume that she just isn't used to the additives. Dilemma - how to avoid this stuff at parties (when it's the only drink on offer), without making her feel like the odd-one-out and without being a boorish guest. I've thought of taking a bottle of water and discreetly subsitituting it for the fruit shoot, but I wondered whether other people have this problem and what they do about it. Sorry if this makes me sound like the ultimate Guardian-reading, knit-your-own yogurt type, but I've been really disturbed by the effect this stuff has on her.

I don't let ds have undoctored fruit shoots as I personally think they are too strong so I empty half of it out and put water in it. You could just replace most of it with water, that way she looks as if she's having the same thing as everyone else but what she's actually having is a lot better for her.

"She's allergic to one of the ingrediants, what a pain and shame, but I know, I'll just sneak off and put some water in the bottle, then she won't realise. Sorry, Mrs X, I should have said before, shouldn't I!"

OldieMum they have exactly the same effect on my DD too, but for the sake of a party have let it go. I like CountTo10's idea though and will def do that next time.

My DS doesn't do well on these either. Becomes moody and upset too. We avoid wherever we can. We usually take own drinks with us and then if anyone says anything we tell them he is allergic to an ingredient!
Don't know if this is the case but I know that this drink disagrees with him. He also isn;t very good with fresh orange juice!
Hope this helps - we tell DS that his own drink is better for him and at present he is fine with this but I'm sure that this won't always be the case!

Colditz, you're a genius.

MMM - just imagining writing - "X is allergic to fruitshoots" on the RSVP form

she is obviously sensitve to some of the stuff in it, so just tell the host that your dd isnt allowed it as it causes a reaction.

how old is she? dd1 is allergic to colourings and is very good at telling people what she can and cant have. she is 6 (almost 7)

ah har, social graces are not restricted to the muddle class!

Agree with Colditz. It's either that or you wrestle it off your child while hissing at the hostess that it's the work of the devil and she is a poisoner of children

Huwedwards - I let it go for the sake of the party last weekend - and then she cried all afternoon afterwards....

There can't be many children who don't start bouncing off the walls after a snifter of Fruit Shoots. The idea that people give them to partygoers, they must like a challenge, all those kids, high as kites!

OM, yes I've had to deal with the fallout too - but now we have our solutions!

misdee - she's 4. She understands it's 'additives' that made her feel odd. She won't need any persuading to avoid this drink in future.

For future referance, apple juice and fizzy water is sufficiantly sweet and fizzy to mollify most kids if you hold a party without fruitshoots. ds loves it to bits

It's HER party this weekend. They will be getting b....y fruit juice, I assure you.

the back of our rsvp contain a list of ingrediants to avoid. dd1 also gets sent with a bottle of piriton and her inhalers.

if they ask what juice to provide, i tell them that robinsons with sugar is fine. i ofyen pop a tropicana Go! in for parties anyway.

I've never noticed any difference in dd if she has a fruit shoot, which is why on odd occasions - like a party - I don't mind her having them.

But if she reacted like yours Oldiemum I'd have no qualms in saying asking for something else if I were at a party for her, or asking the host in advance not to give them to her if I weren't going.

Agree, just get on with doing what you have to do with no fuss, be matter of fact and if they dont like it they can talk about you when youve gone.

We were offered the clear version at a party recently and I still turned it down. Word got back that hostess asked 'why didnt madmarch let her ds have this ffs, its just flavoured water ra ra ra '

I dont care though .

Oooo yes colditz, ds thinks hes in heaven if he gets fizzy water. Hes only 3 though, so theres time ...

DD will be offering sports bottles of plain water at her forthcoming party, have done it before and no-one bats an eyelid - they just enjoy the novelty of having a bottle, i think. I do offer a splash of juice or ribena in it, but never had any takers. And, best of all, no spills to mop up.
Plenty of sugar and colouring in the fairy cakes, ice cream and haribos!!

I don't think it's such a big deal - DD doesn't really like juice/squash whatever so she's just learned to ask if she can have a cup of water.

we went to a birthday the other day and the party girls mum offered my dd a fruit shoot and she said 'sorry i am not allowed them they haVE GOT FUNNY STUFF IN' she had just turned 4 at the time.
I have always told her that food and drinks with additives are rubbish and she is not allowed them so far she has no desire to eat them, dont know how long this will last!!!