Another beverage post -- older kids

EliseB0323

Does your kid drink soda? Let's assume the toddlers aren't drinking soda, so does your child who is age 4 or older drink soda? If so, when did they start drinking it.

DS is 6 1/2. We let him try Sprite at a party when he was about 5 and he didn't like it, so he never drinks soda. I figure sooner or later he will, but I'm glad that's a battle I don't have to fight yet.

MotherBucker

I have teenagers, so yes, they drink soda. But up until recently we really controlled it.

My 4 year old will have a drink of his dads Mountain Dew here and there (believe me, it ticks me off).

mylove2005

DD took a sip a couple of months ago and she spit it out and tells everyone that she hates it and will never drink it /

kellnbri

DS is 4 and had a sip of soda one time and didn't like the bubbles in it.  He hasn't touched one since.  He tells me all the time that soda is yucky. 

ghm

Occasionally...very occasionally, but I don't think it's a huge deal every now and then. 

 

shopgirl78

Yep, I let them pick orange or Sprite but sometimes they will go for choc milk or gatoraid when we go out to eat which isn't that often.  I only keep my diet soda and dr peppers (dh only) at the house. 

Zenya

both of mine do although they don't drink much.  DS is starting to like it too much though so we're going to stop giving it to him with meals.  He gets it now at restaurants and we notice he's starting to focus on that rather than his food.  for the longest time he would take like 2 sips and be done.  So we're going to let him have a small amount once a week as a treat but not with a meal.  

DD takes a sip now and then.  She likes water more than anything. 

I think drinking anything with calories in large quantities (> say a cup a day) is a bad idea.  milk included.   

shouldbworkin

DD drinks sprite from time to time.  DS doesn't really like any soda. 

Ciarrai

I don't think either of the girls like it.  I know DD#1 doesn't like anything carbonated.  DD#2 may or may not have tried it.  I can't remember.  She says she doesn't like it but I think that has more to do with DD#1 not liking it than her.  I can't remember.  I don't have a problem with it occasionally at a birthday party or something though it won't be a daily occurrence for many years...

Angela814

No. She's tried Sprite once and didn't like it. She's had orange soda once or twice, but she's not a huge fan. If we offer it, she'll generally choose water instead.

penguingrrl

I have let DD1 have soda once or twice ever. The first time was when she had an upset stomach this past winter (so age 3.5) and we were having a party so we had ginger ale in the house so I gave it to her to calm her stomach. Since then she had it once when we ordered Chinese food and they sent a can of sprite with it (it's their standard for orders over $10). DH and I don't drink soda, so we let her have a few sips before dumping it. Since then we've requested seltzer as our free soda to avoid that issue (I love seltzer) and let both girls have seltzer with dinner since they both like it.

I probably wouldn't be upset if it was offered to her at a party now since we don't ever have it in the house so it wouldn't become a habit, but I won't offer it myself even if we're out.

DD2 won't get it for a while yet.

CleoKitty

Mine both like soda.

I'll let them order a Sprite when we go out to eat but it's typically not something we ever keep in the house. If we're at someone else's house (birthday party, dinner w/friends or family, etc.) and they're offered a soda I don't worry too much about it either. We do occasionally buy rootbeer, especially in summer, because the kids love making rootbeer floats as a special treat.  Oh, and my MIL sometimes buys those mini sized cans of orange soda and the kids will split one but it's certainly not a daily thing either.

katie277s

 Logan has tried Coke when we were driving and he had an upset stomach.  He's sipped my Diet Coke a few times, and I think twice we've given him root beer as a "special" drink.  He says it scratches his throat.  I don't mind him sipping here or there, but I've never offered him pop on a regular basis.  

Alexandra*sMom

My older kids sometimes drink caffiene free sodas.  It is a special occasion when they do and they always tell people, "Look, we have pop!"

Angela814

Zenya:

I think drinking anything with calories in large quantities (> say a cup a day) is a bad idea.  milk included.   

I agree with this. I used to drink a lot of juice and milk as a kid. It was a huge awakening going to college and realizing that drinking that many calories = freshman 15+.

belle204

Yes, she drinks sodas sometimes. I don't buy them for the house so if she does it's when we go out or sometimes at my mom's. I don't remember when she first had one, maybe some Sprite when she was 3 or so. I don't drink them so I definitely don't want her having all the sugar (a Sprite has like 36 grams or something obnoxious) all the time. As long as it's in moderation I don't fret.

Mominator

My oldest is 15 y/o, so yes he drinks soda, but not at home, because I don't buy it. Actually, there has been a bottle of Ginger Ale in my fridge since I was sick like 4 weeks ago and I don't think either of us has had a glass for weeks. He mostly drinks water at home and sometimes a glass or two a day of Diet Tea.

My younger kids have both tried soda and neither liked it, so I know I have a while until I have to worry about this with them.

patty78

I have a 4 year old, I give her sips of my soda from time to time, but she usually drinks water. I never order soda for her if we are out to dinner, just water.

Melett

My almost 6 year old loves it, but we only allow it if we go out to dinner or if we are at a party. I will never buy it for my kids at home, but my dh does have his supply of pepsi so who knows..I just won't buy it because I think it's so many empty calories and I don't like soda at all. BUT I do see my ds becoming sort of obsessed with it. Like if my mom has a can he will try to sneak a drink from her..I had cousins growing up, who were never allowed candy, so when they came to a party and saw the candy bowl they would fill their pockets up..I hope ds doesn't become like that.. My dd doesn't like it yet, I think she doesn't like the carbonation..

joy143dh

DS (4.5) thinks soda is "too spicy"    He will split a VitaminWater or Gaterade with me on occassion. And he'll choose a Fuse or V8 fusion when we go out for pizza.   I think, as far as sugar content, they are pretty comparable to soda - just without the carbonation.

winomom22

DD1 has tried it once or twice and didn't like it so she never drinks it. A treat for her is lemonade or chocolate milk when we go to a restaurant.

luckyluvr

Both my kids drink lemon-lime sodas sometimes (sprite, Sierra mist) when we go out to eat. I gave in to the 2 year old having it b/c she insists on doing everything the older one does and it's not one of the battles I want to fight. I don't give them the dark sodas. I don't really see any difference between the caffeine free sodas and things like Capri Suns or cool aid. They're all equally not good for you IMO.

amy05-04

I don't think my kids have even tried soda, but not because I forbid it or anything-my DH and I don't drink it, so it's never in the house.  I know my DS#2 wouldn't like it because of the carbonation.  DH drinks selzer and he tried a sip and said he hates the bubbles!

happy_momma

My six year old has it once in a while if we are out - sierra mist or sprite or something similar that doesn't have caffeine. Or we will do rootbeer floats as a treat sometimes.  My 3 year old has tasted some of the sodas and doesn't like them - I don't think she likes the carbonation.

MommyofAlissa

Yes. I usually buy her those little small cans of orange pop because they are the perfect size for her. I'd say she has one every 3 days maybe? She drinks milk most of the time during kids club.

ridesbuttons

I don't like pop at all, so I won't be introducing it to my kids.

Hoping to get into double digits before it's even on their radars.

emiliemadison

My kids are nearly 6 and 3.5. Just this summer we've allowed them to have Sprite if we're at a restaurant. Mostly they choose lemonade, though. 

eclaires

We let Jackson choose what he drinks when we go out to eat.  Sometimes he chooses Sprite, but usually he chooses chocolate milk or lemonade.

He also has root beer once per week when we do a movie night.

superslug

My 4 year old doesn't at all, he prefers water to anything. My oldest is almost 6 and he sometimes gets a Sprite, but it is a rare thing and like a treat for him.

J&A2008

Only every once in a while, and only sodas without caffeine.

Starr57

DS doesn't like soda either. He says it's yucky. I think I can count the number of times on one hand he's had something carbonated.

MrsStubbs

Both of my kids love pop. They get atleast one baby soda, rootbeer, a week.

docmay25

My kids are 6.5 and 5 years old. Neither of them Have ever had a sip of soda. They are not bug on trying new things. They say that soda is a grown up drink. Since they have no interest that is fine with me.

DandelionMom

My older two (7 and 10) will have soda very occasionally (usually sierra mist).

kancell724

DD is 4.5 and likes sprite or an occasional orange soda. It's mostly when we go out and very rarely at home. Sometimes she juices water or milk instead of sprite when we go out so its not something she is crazy about. I try not to let her have it too much because I love soda and don't drink much water and don't want her becoming like me. 

AnnapolisLari

I have actually ordered soda for DS at a restaurant and he takes about 3 sips and asks for milk or water.

Both kids had it for the first time around 2, but neither of them like it much.

StarryNight39

Ava likes Sprite/Sierra Mist. She gets one every 2 weeks or so. Due to her allergies she doesn't get a lot of "treats" and she isn't drinking it often so it doesn't bpther me at all.

Ella tried a sip and hated it and hasn't had any since.

melissa816

DS is 4 1/2, he will occasionally have a sip of a sprite/7up if DH is drinking one.  At the park for 4th of July, and we got DS an orange Crush to drink.  It was the best option at the food stand we were at, they were temporarily out of bottled water.  Yeah, I could have gone and stood in line for 10 minutes at the other food stand for a gatorade, but one orange crush isn't the end of the world.   

jamie.renee

ghm:

Occasionally...very occasionally, but I don't think it's a huge deal every now and then. 

 

This is us too.  Like tonight my oldest (9) had root beer with dinner.  We had to get fast food (very rare in this house) since we are moving and everything is packed.  My second daughter (7) asked for lemonade instead.  They rarely even ask for it.  I can't even remember the last time either of them even had a full one.  The few times they have it is no big deal to me.  I will not let them have much.  My parents let me and my sister drink whatever we wanted, all my parents drank was soda and coffee so of course we picked soda a lot too.  I am paying for it still to this day, along with the almost daily fast food.