What age did you give your children squash?

[RedRobyn2021]

Just that really

Some days this summer my daughter hasn't drunk enough and we have had dry nappies

My mum thinks I'm overthinking it with squash, but she's only 18 months. I do t want to make a mistake.

I have been trying out the gentle parenting approach on my toddler and It has been going really well. However since having him my periods have been so extreme, I’m talking full on depression and horrible rage for up to 2 weeks, I feel so bad that I haven’t even showered or been to work this week. I feel like a horrible mother because I am so low and can’t bring myself to be fun for him. I don’t have any patients, he is doing the same things over and over again and the gentle approach just isn’t working, example every time I give him a drink he pours the full cup on the floor, or he goes and tips out the cats food multiple times a day, and I honestly feel like I am going to explode into a million pieces with rage. I hate feeling like this, It’s not fair on anyone around me, does anyone have any tips on how to manage this? I have called the doctor a couple of times and just get prescribed medication, I don’t want medication, when I read the side effects I just don’t want to take them.

The outrage over sugar free squash makes me laugh. I have a 2 year old who was a dreadful drinker, had dry nappies and just wasn't interested in drinking. I spoke to both her dietitian and GP and both said it's better she drinks sugar free squash than nothing so just give her squash. She went from drinking maybe 1/4 of a 360 cup a day to drinking 4 or 5 cups. I'm really not stressing about her having squash, it's better for her kidneys that she actually drinks.

@Anderson2018. That sounds really tough and I do remember having horrendous periods when mine first returned. For a child that young in the examples you give, I'd say a sharp "no" and take the drink away or move him away from the cat food. I would have made my older toddler (from around 2.5) clean up the mess themselves... not in a nasty way, but just matter of fact 'we don't leave our messes for other people to clean up'. It's a good time to introduce tidy-up time for toys and other stuff too - you have to help, obviously, but mess shouldn't be something they make and then other people clean up.

Just seen she’s breastfed. Definitely not squash but feed on demand and have water always available for a bit.

Never and now my child age 10 doesn't want

15 months. It was very dilute and it was a period of red hot weather. I was more concerned about her remaining hydrated than the MN hysteria around the evils of squash.

She is now 5 and will ask for water or milk over squash most of the time and won’t touch fizzy drinks so giving her a bit of weak squash didn’t kill her. Oh and her teeth are perfect.

We never have it either.
My dc sometimes make 'lemonade' by mixing lemon juice and sugar into a jug of water. It's really nice and much better than artificial crap.

Never, I gave water.

have you tried bf-ing more? If youa re still bf-ing it is best not to limit on hot days.

I would buy a range of interesting cups with straws etc and let her choose. Is the water always just there? Do you drink very often? Do you put ice in teh water to make it very nice and cool? She could also have a water station set up - the jugs with the taps - they can get very into those (watch the carpet!)

@Anderson2018 I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. Medication can be helpful and not everyone gets side effects. But if you don't want to take it, then what are you hoping for from the doctor? Are you looking for a talking therapy? Would a contraceptive pill help if it's hormonally related? It might be worth having a think about what you feel would actually help and then asking directly for that.

In terms of toddler behaviour, literally the only thing that worked in stopping my DD throwing things on the floor etc was completely ignoring it. My DP found that really hard because it felt it was wrong to ignore it. I didn't ignore it out of some kind of parenting principle or theory but it was literally the only thing that worked. If I totally ignored it then she'd stop again within a couple of days. She wanted a reaction from me - any reaction - she didn't mind a negative one as she didn't really have any concept of negativity.

I obviously don't know your son so it may be completely different for you.

It sounds like you are doing an amazing job. Your son is clearly well cared for so give yourself a break. We can't always be "fun" parents even at the best of times. He will survive you being low but do keep trying to get the help you need. Best of luck x

Never it's gross. I gave really watered down apple juice, but not much of that either. Water is fine and as it's the only thing my kids got at school that's their preference now (teenagers). But if you make st add a bit of juice - but just a bit.

@RedRobyn2021 I think if my DD had dry nappies I might go for the squash to hydrate her. It was recommended to us by the hospital when my DD was unwell. It's not that hard to break a habit again (just have to go through a couple of days of moaning!) when things settle down.

@Parker231 I would also like to know about this additive free/sugar free squash please! If there is a healthier alternative I'd love to know about it.

We don't buy it at home but from 2 she's had the occasional cup of very diluted juice out and about, like soft play.

They also give it at nursery. I was quite surprised but her key worker did ask first and I said it was fine.

My DS is nearly 4 and doesn't drink it but I have offered him it, very weak though. He doesn't like it🤷‍♀️so just water and milk here. If you're breastfeeding too, she'll be getting a lot of hydration from that and I read that milk is better for hydration than water so the oat milk is great too. I wouldn't worry about it if you want to give her some squash but I also think you don't really need to😊

Never.
Once they started school they had some orange juice with breakfast, apart from that it's water all the time. (Gap always left between orange juice and brushing).

Very rarely from five. They've all got nasty chemicals in OR sugar so we don't buy it.

Mine are a lot older than yours, but I know mine had it younger than everyone has said on here, they used to do baby juice, not sure if that’s still a thing. If it’s the only thing baby will drink then dilute it massively and not in a bottle and don’t worry about it. All of mine are teens now and doing absolutely fine!

DS is nearly 4 and gets milk or water, on rare occasion he will have very diluted fresh juice eg when we get MILs bags and bags of apples from her tree.
I never drank squash or fizzy drinks as a child and as an adult I drink water as my default drink, I'm one of the only people in my office who does

Never. The additional sugar isn't needed and is bad for teeth.

Water is fine.

Not until she was about 3 or 4. I only thought she should try it so when it's the only option at birthday parties etc, she has something to drink. They really don't need it. It's a rare treat for her to have it even now, at 7, just like lemonade. My DS is 4 and won't even try it, he sticks to water or milk. I always end up having to ask for water for him at places, as they just assume every child drinks squash.

Started buying it regulaŕly this summer - kids are 8 and 12 .

From 4 as a treat, never at home. Give her watermelon and other fruit, offer water lots. Get her a fun cup that she likes.

Op if she's got dry nappies I would try it. Can't be good for her to be dehydrated.

Yes MN is full of people who frown at the idea of it, but I bet those who held out have never pinned their baby down to get a drip put in their arm. That was traumatic. Or less traumatic sat in a hospital squirting 5ml into them every 5 mins praying they wouldn't be sick again.

You could try watering down some fresh orange or another fruit juice. I'm with your mum try and get more fluids into her one way or another.

Oh don't put it in a baby bottle, or any cup with a valve that involves sucking, free flow cup so it has less contact with teeth.

We were advised to give him squash when he was 15 months old. He was admitted to hospital with tonsillitis (he had it a LOT!) and the paediatrician told us to give him sugar free squash to encourage him to drink. We only give it occasionally and it’s barely a splash. He’s usually very good at drinking water unless he’s under the weather or, annoyingly, if it’s very warm.

My eldest was 4, at a birthday party my second was 2.5 and was copying his big brother again at a party. I was really strict on this as have teeth problems myself and find drinking water a pain.

They both drink / will order water by default and have the odd soft drink. I am generally relaxed about diet etc but the water thing was something important to me.