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.

Never, simply because I don't live in a country where "squash" exists! It's a very country specific thing to drink - I'm sure the UK isn't the only place it's common, but in most countries adding concentrates to water is uncommon and squash only available in special extortionate "British" import shops only found in larger cities catering to expats/ immigrants.

So children definitely don't need squash to drink enough!

However I suspect most countries have their equivalents - children here are given herbal teas from weaning age, and also very often apple juice in their water in a squash-like ratio from toddlerhood.

I don’t. Water only.

A rare treat only, parties and friends and family over that sort of thing. Children aged 5,7 and 9 and have milk (blue top) or water as main drinks. They've only just discovered fizzy drinks. Again they're a treat.

I think probably age 4 ish, don't think they noticed they were missing anything until then.

There's no nutrition or benefit to squash, dh and I can't stand the taste and would prefer OJ and water.

Mine were about 2-3. Had full sugar squash, water or milk. Fizzy drinks at Christmas when they were 7ish. All perfect weights with beautiful teeth and still are as adults with no fillings either. Juice is worse than squash.

Squash I can't remember, DD doesn't like it anyway and still drinks water as her main drink and is a teen now.

Fizzy at birthdays and Christmas only until she was 10.

However, in order to get fluids into her I would absolutely go with juice if she wouldn't take the alternatives. I'd rather that than dehydration in the heat waves we've been having. My DD would have probably preferred a cucumber or watermelon to munch on rather than squash. DD has always liked cold water so maybe try her with ice cubes or homemade ice lollys made with water and cut up fruit.

PFB DC1 didn't even try squash/juice until the age of about 3 and still doesn't like them.

DC2 was hospitalised age 15 months having stopped eating and drinking due to bronchiolitis. When hospital staff asked what he liked to drink and I said he'd only ever had milk or water, they looked at me like I had two heads and went and got him some squash, which he duly downed. He doesn't have it daily, but I do give a few cups especially in hot weather to make sure he's hydrated.

There's no right answer OP, but I would suggest not withholding juices/squash forever. DC1 recently got prescribed medication that has to be mixed into drinks. It's really hard to get down him as you can taste it in milk or water and he refuses both squash and juice.

My son never took well to milk and water we would have to syringe it in him to get him to drink. He ended up in hospital with dehydration and from around 20 months we began a drop of squash diluted in water the days he would not drink. Also yogurts, fruit etc

no squash here. Easier said then done but don’t stress too much about dry/dryer than usual nappies. But, to get extra fluid in I do as follows

• offer but don’t nag/push water. Just casually would you like some/remind them where it is and don’t make a fuss about it
• take them to cupboard and choose a cup (we have 360/straw/sippy) and ‘help fill it up’
• teach them to cheers and then take a big swig (makes it a fun game)
• when it’s hot, no clothes on in the garden with an open cup (see above fun game)
• fluid from food counts, cucumber, strawberries melon etc

TLDR keep it fun and breezy. Don’t make it a power struggle.

Mine drinks squash since about 18 months, but also water, milk, decaff or herbal tea etc. He doesn't refuse water, teeth fine, weight fine. Sometimes he asks for squash, sometimes water - like most people it seems he likes a bit of a variety. I saw someone's 5 year old who'd had their first taste of squash at a party, going from table to table guzzling whatever they could and subsequently being quite obsessed with this forbidden thing , and decided that wasn't for me.

Never. Just put 360 degree cups or sippy cups around where she’s playing so that she can drink water without having to stop what she’s doing.

Watered down apple juice is all my DD's had, squash is a British thing and we lived overseas. They still don't drink it despite being adults

From about 18months. I only drink squash so it's a bit hard to turn around and say mummy can have the pink drink but you can't. I make it very very weak. Can't believe the mum shaming on here over some squash and water 🙄 especially no sugar squash!

Ps I only ever let my parents give them squash with no artificial sweetener- Rock was one brand then. Very weak too

A bit of sugar is better than artificial imho. We also don't have things like spreads apart from real butter - I don't get why people give artificial stuff

18m here too and can be a bit hit and miss with drinking water. She has an occasional carton of apple juice if we go for lunch out (maybe one a month) and has tried her big brother’s (age 10) squash. I think the trouble is if you give it regularly, they’re even less likely to drink water. That’s what happened with my ds although he will sometimes drink it now. Mixing up the cups or using these with just a bit of water in (or outside!) seems to help get her interested in drinking water www.amazon.co.uk/Babycup-children-Recyclable-4-piece-colour/dp/B00GOXMWZ8

I don’t mind my kids having sugar on occasion but I try to completely avoid sugar free with artificial sweeteners because they are endocrine disrupters.

We don’t do squash, mostly because we don’t drink it and eldest DC was born abroad where squash isn’t a thing. They had chocolate milk and apple juice in restaurants though mostly because it keeps them happy whilst waiting for their food!

1yo 🤷🏻‍♀️

Personally I tend to buy fruit juice and mix with plenty of water. Not every day but is nice as a treat.

Not every day but is nice as a treat.

^ I find this idea rather odd. Your one year old has no concept of food/drink as treats and really doesn't need treats in this form. It's an adult concept of using food and drink as a reward; you're imagining a child's brain works the same way.

No need for squash, water is perfectly fine. Both my kids only drink milk and water, though dc2 is curious about squash, every time she tries it she hates it!

Not a treat for doing something good or wtv. A treat as in an occasional nice food/event, a different thing to taste, an experience

Oh god they've had it since probably 10 or 11 months. I don't make it strong though, it's weak enough that it's see through. They only really drink it in summer though, winter is usually water or milk.

I never did. They had water and milk at home, although it was never “banned” if they were elsewhere.
At 20 and 25 they’ll still drink water before anything else

My brother was given squash from a young age and it ruined his teeth! So many fillings. I never liked squash and have no fillings. I wouldn't be giving it at 18 months. My children are 11 and 9 but only have squash at parties etc. I don't mean to sound smug but they're really happy with water and occasionally milk.

Sugar free squash (agree with the pp who said artificial sweeteners are one of the most tested substances and are absolutely fine) when out from about 18 months and the same with watered down fruit juice. I drink it at home so he also occasionally has a sip if I've left it lying around but it's not something he has routinely. However, if he was having dry nappies I would absolutely offer squash (along with water, wet food etc), dehydration is not something to be trifled with where as there are no known health risks to squash.

I breastfeed on demand, she's still fed through the night too. We regularly freshen her water up and we add ice because sometimes she'll drink a bit more if it's cold. Her water is always available and nearby. We have different types of cups as well. But we had another dry nappy last night and I just find it alarming that she's gone so long without peeing.