Thoughts on toddlers/pre-schoolers and soda???

ANJ410 · May 2010

Am I the only person who does not let their 2-3 year old have soda?

Apparently, among the majority of my girlfriends and all of my DH's cousins with kids this age, I am the only one that hasn't let my child try soda.

I am far from a health food fanatic--he eats cookies, cake, ice cream, chips, lollipops, etc, but I just don't see any reason for kids this age to be drinking soda. I know I can't keep him away from it forever, but I'd like to try for as long as possible.

MrsJOSEnADRI · May 2010

I think you're doing a good thing. I don't buy soda at home. If we have it, it's usually for a party and we don't have any junk food. I plan on keeping it that way. Of course, once they start going to bday parties there's going to be soda everywhere. So, in that case, I'd probably let them have some 7up or try to get them to drink juice instead. But, I agree with you. There's no point in starting a bad habit so early.

melly&jimmy · May 2010

Nope, you are not alone. MH and I rarely drink soda ourselves - only when at a restaraunt (Sprite) or with some Jack Daniels :0) I don't buy soda for home either. My kids drink water, juice, and/or milk. That's it. My parents were the same way. No soda for us. I don't really like it too much and neither does the hubz.

rach312 · May 2010

I'm not a health fanatic either but absolutely no soda. There is no reason why any preschool aged child needs that. I too have given her cake, cookies, chips, but no soda. I don't even give her straight juice yet (I still cut it with water).

Soda has way too much sugar in it and it does nothing to hydrate you.

britishbride05 · May 2010

nope, i won't do it. we went to a party a few weeks ago and the 2 year olds were running anround with soda and cotton candy. I kept getting the "you're not going to let her have any??" looks. nope. why? because. she asks for apples and grapes and that's what she likes. i'm not screwing that up any time soon lol maybe when she's older and understands that stuff is just for special occassions, but not just yet.

plus, we have bad luck with teeth in our family, i don't need her getting cavities so young!!

MRS.IHEARTMIKE · May 2010

britishbride05:

nope, i won't do it. we went to a party a few weeks ago and the 2 year olds were running anround with soda and cotton candy. I kept getting the "you're not going to let her have any??" looks. nope. why? because. she asks for apples and grapes and that's what she likes. i'm not screwing that up any time soon lol maybe when she's older and understands that stuff is just for special occassions, but not just yet.

THIS!!! I HATE soda!!!

TayLynn · May 2010

rach312:

I'm not a health fanatic either but absolutely no soda. There is no reason why any preschool aged child needs that. I too have given her cake, cookies, chips, but no soda. I don't even give her straight juice yet (I still cut it with water).

Soda has way too much sugar in it and it does nothing to hydrate you.

Ditto this!

We don't even give juice yet. Soda is a long way off.

I still remember when my neice and nephew were 2. The only word that they would say was soda.

It was usually when seated at a table and they would pound their hands on the table while screaming SODA!

BIL refused to go out to eat at restaurants for a long time because of it. It was their fault for introducing it.

ReiszsPieces · May 2010

Soda is actually really bad for your bones. This is probably even worse in kids b/c their bones aren't fully developed yet. Plus, think of all the extra sugar you're saving them from. I think you're doing a good thing keeping them away from soda. Like you said, no need to be a health freak and it's not like they won't have soda eventually, but at that age, juice or water or milk are much more appropriate beverage choices.

MelanieJH1016 · May 2010

No soda for Zoe either. I don't even give her juice. She drinks milk and water. That's all she knows and it's working out fine for her!

Haleakala · May 2010

I'm far from being a health nut but I would never give Madison soda and will dealy it as long as possible. We do give her juice that is watered down but that's all.

allison8878 · May 2010

Girl, I am right there with you. Absolutely NO soda now or anytime in the future. Quinn gets water, milk (regular not flavored in any way), and 100% juice that is 1/3 juice and 2/3 water. I am not a super health freak but I definitely believe in giving him as many natural non-processed foods as I can. He has never had candy and tried ice cream only once and didn't even like it. He will have a cookie or cupcake on special occassions. I figure that he will be exposed to all sorts of sugary foods when he gets to be school aged so I'm trying to do what I can now to limit them and hopefully teach him so that he'll make healthy choices later on.
I definitely get a lot of crap from friends and family but oh well.

karenlisa714 · May 2010

I'm in the same boat - I'll allow cake, cookies, etc.. but no soda! There is sooooo much crap in soda and it's just not necessary for kids.

I'm sure that I'm having problems with my teeth now as an adult thanks to all the many cans of diet coke I used to drink as a child (what was wrong with my parents?? I think people just didn't know how bad it was for you).

I'm hoping I can keep the amount of soda my kids drink to a minimum... and they definitely won't be drinking any as toddlers/preschoolers.

MellyMelB · May 2010

You are not alone! Sophie is not allowed to have soda. The closest she has come aside from accidental sips is drinking ginger ale during her last stomach bug. Soda, to me, is an altogether different kind of junk that I will avoid putting in Sophie as long as possible. In fact, she knows that mommy likes soda and always says, "but Sophie drinks milk," which is absolutely OK with me.

MrsLeanna · May 2010

no soda here either and I'm like you, not a health nut and let her have sweets and snacks, but I draw the line at soda. I let her have juice but I buy the motts for tots and water it down and even that is no more than once a day. I just don't see a need for soda.

karukaru · May 2010

No Soda for DS Period! HE doesn't even like juice because I never give him any. I think its crazy to give soda to a toddler. WHen we go to parties he drinks water only because DS is not supposed to have more than 16 ounces of milk a day. He eats cake and cookies (not in my house though) also but soda is crazy! DH is addicted to soda so we do have it in our house but I would never give it to DS so early! That's crazy!

MrsGiviRN · May 2010

Mikey has never had soda yet...and I'm trying to postpone it as long as possible! My family knows our stand on it..they think that we are being a little extreme but respect our decision

taxbride · May 2010

Well, we're going to hell, I guess, b/c we have let Cedric have soda. I blame my husband b/c he is the one who gives it to him, but it's not a regular thing, and he never asks for it. I admit that I remember one birthday party in particular when I was about 8 1/2 months pregnant with Graciela, and the nearest thing to drink was soda, so that's what he got (and me, too) b/c I could not be bothered to hunt around the place looking for water. But I hardly drink the stuff, and we don't usually have it in the house. And usually, it's Colombiana or Postobon, which is what DH grew up with, and I feel like he's sharing his childhood favorites rather than inculcating a sugar freak.

wrenr · May 2010

Nope, you're not alone, as you can see by all the other posts too, lol. I hate seeing kids with soda. Maia has started drinking sprite at parties but that's as far as I'll go, and I'm not too happy about that. But it's hard to tell her no when all the other kids are running with it. I figure it's better to let her try it than to have her obsess about it later. I don't have any at home. My biggest pet peeve is seeing kids with diet soda. Like regular isn't bad enough, let's add a few more chemicals in to the mix. I know it has no sugar, but what the heck is in there?

ANJ410 · May 2010

Thanks everyone for the input. I am glad I am not the only one. Recently a cousin of my DH's basically called me uptight because I took out a juice box of apple juice at a b-day party when all of the other kids were drinking soda and I made a point of saying with annoyance that I couldn't believe everyone was letting their small children drink soda. All I need is for Nicky to see other kids with it and throw a temper tantrum for it! She then said with one of those know-it-all tones "you'll see how much you lighten up with the second one." Nope, sorry...she won't be drinking soda either!

Then when I complained to a few friends about it, they basically agreed with her and told me they let their kids drink soda too. I was starting to think maybe I was the only mother on earth that thinks it bad for kids.

Thoughts on toddlers/pre-schoolers and soda???

Re: Thoughts on toddlers/pre-schoolers and soda???

Choose Another Board

Search Boards