Kids on Coke...and gum

[Arabica]

Got chatting to very nice mum also in her early 40s at a kids' theatre show today. We were just getting seats when she handed her little girl a bottle of cola--then yelled at her to stop! when she began to drink it. At first I thought she had obviously made a mistake with the drink and was going to hand her daughter something more suitable...but no, it was simply to tell her to remove her chewing-gum first!
Was shocked not just at the coke (child was seen drinking a new bottle of cola later) but at the gum, but am I being naive?

For 18mths, read 8mths!

I attribute my homicidal tendancies to poor diet during my formative years - too many e numbers, additives, and sugary drinks. This was one of the factors which led to my crime of matricide (amongst others). Something I now regret but probably at least partially justifiable.

Since converting to an organic diet I have found a new vocation as a Jesuit priest. Praise the lord.

Just been on hols stateside and nearly gave a woman a heart attack when I brought dd (17mths) a Whale Cup at sea world and only wanted to put water in it! (ok you USA mumsnetters, you don't really feed your babies coke or sprite do you?)

My ds if 5 and dd 3, we dont buy coke at home but we do let them have it if we are out (happy meal for example). They eat healthily at home and dont have junk food at home so I dont mind them having it. I think its having it every day thats the big problem. My children are no different when they have coke, smarties, sugar etc, so the hyper thing isnt an issue for us.

I don't let my kids have coke or squash with any colour/preservative - end of story.

ds (5.8) has had one bottle of coke in these holidays when we were out shopping. The last time he had some was probably several months ago. I don't get drinks with artificial sweetners in but agree the caffine isn;t good. However not sure how good any of these other drinks like Fruit Shoots are and Sunny Delight etc. What I hate is that you can't seem to go into a shop anywhere without them staring you in the fact.

Chewing gum definately no way.

It was my mother who introduced ds to coke grrr.

Hi arabica how are you? Hope you are well. I am fairly certain that current guidlenes do not recomend giving children under five caffine in any form so we try to avoid it DD has tried fizzy drinks but has decided she does not like them ( A well meaning friend gave her some sprite which she spat out as she didn't like the bubbles) As for gum well that is just asking for trouble not just from a choking hazard but i am sick and tired of sitting on it or treading in it when we go out. We went to a childrens party when dd was 18months and ended up having to cut a big chunk out of her hair becuase some little angel thought it would be funny to stick it in her hair. When she is older (much older) if she asks for coke and gum i supose we will give in (as long as she disposes of the rubbish correctly) but not just yet. If that is "victorian" of me i couldn't care less she will thank me for nice teeth later in life.

Reading some of the responses I think I am lucky that DS doesn't seem to have been in any situation where kids of his own age were drinking fizzy pop or having chewing gum! He's not at school yet, maybe that's why: and we don't have any relatives to lavish sweets and other sugary 'treats' on him.

Here in Switzerland I have had chewing gum prescribed by my peadiatrian when my 4 year old was have problems with ear infections and subsequent deafness. The chewing action helps clear the ear canal apparently. He was surprised that she had not had it before.

Is there a healthy kind of chewing gum in the UK? Ds,11, chews his clothes - I come from a family of chewers, I used to demolish pens and pencils - and I've wondered if I could find a chewing gum that didn't have sweeteners in. So far haven't found any. Or is there a sort which is at least marginally healthier than other sorts?

Hi englishabroad , whereabouts in ch are you ? or are you a name-changer who I should recognise?

They don't have fluoride in water in Switzerland or recommend it as much in toothpaste for kids so there is dental gum for young children as a substitute or a special salt for cooking. My kids don't like it though so we tend to use fluoride toothpaste anyway.

ds developed a liking for Iced Tea at parties but doesn't really like bubbles so that makes restricting such things a bit easier. I'm pleased to say that his school appears to have now taken it off the lunch menu. dd doesn't mind bubbles but hasn't had coke afaik, but both like the slightly sparkling apple juice drink available here - sort of non-alcholic cider.

at hearing about fizzy drinks in babies' bottles !! Not only sugar/sweetener issue but they can be an appetite suppressant encouraging poor eating habits, although can't say my kids have an ideal diet either.

Not really arisen yet as ds is only 10mths, but will find it hard to justify him not having coke or lucozade as I drink both in abundance (but then don't drink tea or coffee and MUST have caffeine from somewhere, jitter jitter jitter) Don't think gum will be an issue (she says hopefully) as neither I nor dh eat it - and am hoping that when ds DOES meet fizzy drinks he will respond the same way as I allegedly did and accuse my mother of putting pins in my drink....

Hi Lizs - We are in Zug - where are you?

The fluoride issue I had a dentist in the uk prescribe fluoride drops which I give to my daughters daily. I think the swiss dentist thought I was strange that I don't cook with salt so the fluoride salt was no good, she then recommend that I brush with adults tooth paste as it had a higher level of fluoride and it should ideally be 3 times a day. I tried this but adult tooth paste was too fizzy and I couldn't be sure that they remembered to brush teeth at lunch.

Both dd like iced tea - probably filled with lots of caffine and sugar but okay for a real treat as it is difficult to find something that is not fizzy at times.

Hi Englishabroad - we're in Adliswil ZH , so not far away at all ! Are you on Expat-Mums-in Switzerland Yahoo group or similar too ? Perhaps our paths have already crossed ! Leogaela is over this way too plus there are others in CH.

How old are your dd's - I have ds 7 and dd 3 1/2.

Hi Lizs

No I havn't heard of the expat mums site - I will go exploring on yahoo. My dd's are 61/2 and 5 and we have been here 6 years - German still appalling. Does your son go to Swiss school?

No coke, no fizzy drinks, no chewing gum. DS1 age 5 knows they make your teeth rot (well the drinks anyway). Am sure that once he gets a bit older he will try them, but luckily until now it hasn't been an issue. We don't drink them anyway so he hasn't been exposed to them at home.

I give him chocolate as it seems better than sweets. probably is just as bad but I am a chocoholic.

Does anyone know of any adverse effects of fruit shoot? DS1 always asks for it. He sometimes gets it when we're out but has water at home or very dilute ribena toothkind.

hi englishabroad. No, ds goes to ZIS in Waedenswil. How about your girls ? For a moment there I thought you may have been a family we met skiing in February ! My german is pretty bad - think I have forgotten more than I ever knew through lack of use

Wordsmith, I'm a chocoholic too, hence the less than ideal snacks for the kids. ds fortunately isn't into the sucky lollies that are dished out so regularly over here either.

Wake up to the benefits of chewing gum!

errr guys chewing gum is actually good for them

Mmmm...I think I'll stick to no fizzy drinks and good old fashioned teethbrushing!

reckon you know better than the British Dental Association eh Roobie ?

errr, frankly...yes! it ain't rocket science - don't give your kids tooth rotting substances and encourage regular brushing and hey presto...no decay.

Ok - but what about when they are at school etc and can't brush their teeth after lunch? Don't want a little mini 'row-ette' when so new to mumsnet, but personally I think it's better to defer to the experts.

Each to their own though!

Should add a to denote casual chatty tone (not challenging and aggressive)!

You are all so strict. I give all my children coke all day. A glass with brekky, a can for break. Then a glass when they come home. They thrive on it.

Then I also use it to cook pasta in and as a base for sauce. Gives a lovely thick gooey sauce and great flavour.

My children don't sleep much but they are very brainy and well behaved.