Does your preschooler drink caffeine?

BabyCakes3 · January 2012

We don't allow our 3.5 yo to drink any coke, etc. She has had a sip or 2 in her lifetime. DD spent the weekend with my grandmother. They came back & DD had a coke from McD's. Most of it was gone. This was before lunch. I just threw it away & didn't say anything. I know my grandmother wants to spoil her some but I just don't see the point of giving a 3 yo caffeine like that. She knows we don't let her have it.

My question is: let it go completely or just make it clear next time that she doesn't get any.

She said she was tired but would NOT nap. Not sure if that's all the cokes fault or not.

kmhunt11 · January 2012

Nope. I don't see the point either. DH gave DD a sip of Dr Pepper when she was 2, and she hated it. She wouldn't drink soda, coffee or tea to save her life at this point, and we're fine with that. I would like her to try some Sleepy Time tea, but I'm not pushing it

kellnbri · January 2012

My kids have never had more than 1 little sip of any type of soda and they are 3 and almost 5. They do have the occasional sweet tea, but it is on a rare occasion. Usually if we go out to eat they get milk.

brightning · January 2012

No. And while I would not get too bent out of shape over it, I would definitely say something to my grandparents about it. Let them know that apple juice and milk are both options.

Pesky · January 2012

I would do both. I would say you get the occasional sip but for a kid who is very young, it just wired her so she couldn't nap so milk, juice, or even sprite or Hi-C orange are all acceptable alternatives and you'd appreciate it.

Mrs Manners · January 2012

No. Ds likes unsweetened, green or black teas but I always make decaf. He's never had a soda and I would be annoyed if someone gave him one. We don't even do juice except for places like birthday parties.

kittylove · January 2012

I don't give it to DS either. I would say something to grandma about it. I would make it less about the caffine/sode and more about skipping the nap. It could be as simple as "Last time while you guys were out she had a Coke and then skipped nap that day. I hate to say it but I think it was from the Coke. Maybe stay away from soda with caffine this time? Okay?"

howleyshell · January 2012

Wellll... my 16 yr old doesn't drink caffeine, my DH and I don't drink caffeine so needless to say neither do my little guys.

I honestly think it's a generational thing with some grandparents. My mother sustains life on Coke and I was raised drinking Coke with every meal.

My Mom laughs when I frame colas and caffeine as an addictive "drug" and says I'm being melodramatic and up tight about it. When she visits we call her soda "Grandma juice".

I personally would make it clear that she doesn't get any next time but like PP's said offer up alternatives so Grandma can still feel like she gets to "treat" her to something special if that's her issue with it.

I'm pretty flexible when it comes to Grandma spoiling them. Heck... she fed my brother's kids nothing but bacon one time for dinner. Normally my motto is "as long as they're alive at the end of the visit be thankful that you've got someone giving you free baby sitting and loving on your kid." but caffeine would be one I'd have a conversation about for sure.

franciscaz · January 2012

Nope. They are spaz enough w/o chemical stimulants Stick out tongue They have had a rare sip of sprite but otherwise we avoid all sodas. I'm a Coke (cola that is) addict and I blame part of it on the fact my mom gave it to me from birth. We really want to teach the joys of water (and I'm learning them slowly with the kids).

When the kids do go out with family I've made it very clear that they get milk, choco milk, or apple juice at restaurants. That is what I consider an appropriate treat drink for a special occasion.

rsd12 · January 2012

Nope. Not even sweet tea. Our extended family would not even offer it to them (thankfully). While I get grandparents should spoil grandkids, like taking them too mcd's or something or treating them to a donut... my kids do not need caffeinated drinks. They have too much enregy anyway, I think family would be afraid to see what that would be like ; )

Court0026 · January 2012

Nope, and I would not be happy if someone gave them some. However, everyone knows that I don't drink soda and I think it is gross, so I doubt they would try to get away with it.

mavs_girl07 · January 2012

Nope. She's had a couple of sips here and there (correction...stolen a couple of sips here and there) when DH or I have left ours sitting within reach. But she always hates the way it tastes, I think it's the carbonation she doesn't like. She does like sweet tea, but she doesn't get that either except for a sip out of ours if we have it. Water, diluted juice, and milk is about it for her.

LucyPevensie · January 2012

As I sit here eating a handful of m & m's and guzzling a big regular Coke ... I will say that no, my child has never had caffeine. Well ... one time when I was in the shower he announced, "mommy, I drank your coffee!" and I looked out to see that he had found a mug of coffee, 1/3 full, from earlier that day and .... drained it. (Yeah, I like my coffee with lots of cream and sugar. He thought it was fab.) He then proceeded to act crazy and beat his toys with a hockey stick (he really did. oops.) Other than that - he gets no soda, ever, He drinks milk, water, or half water/half juice (juice with no added sugar.) We're not saints and don't eat all that healthfully but we do our best and he does NOT need soda. When I drink regular Coke (a holdover from MY childhood) I tell him it's black coffee and he buys that (not that he even knows what black coffee is but apparently I've done enough to convince him it's something awful. Which is actually correct as far as I'm concerned. Again, I like my cream and sugar!)

kada626 · January 2012

My girls don't drink soda. I try to stay away from it myself. I would tell her so she knows next time that she normally doesn't drink it & you would prefer her to have X instead.

ashleyhuney · January 2012

My 3.5 year old has never had soda. In fact we made until just a few months ago before he had his first taste of juice. DS drinks water...and lots of it. When I have my coffee in the morning he has a little steamed milk somedays and watered down juice is a holiday thing only, and from here on out we'll probably let him have it at birthdays. I had a baaaaad coke (cola!) problem that I am getting over thanks to DS. My family growing up ate out nightly (another problem I've had to get over) and every person would get a soda, ugh. Honestly I'd have a huge problem if someone gave DS coke because everyone knows how I feel about sugary drinks for kids.

la79al · January 2012

My DD gets Sprite but nothing with caffeine. She has had it before ( thanks to people sharing) and it makes her crazy so we avoid it. Since I'm still bfing DD2, I avoid it also, which makes it easier. And while I am usually a 'no big deal' type of mom, I made my family aware that under no circumstances is DD allowed to have caffeine. I am very lenient on caffiene free choices, if they want to treat her but heck, my kid would find stepping foot into McDonalds a huge treat.

penguingrrl · January 2012

Nope. We don't do soda in our house (neither me nor DH likes it, so we don't buy or serve it). They consider plain seltzer with a splash of 100% juice the biggest treat in the world, so I'm not offering anything different. DH was raised being allowed soda every night at dinner and his Dad is now fighting diabetes. I was raised with soda as a once in a very rare while treat. We've both agreed that drinking soda daily is unnecessary and unhealthy, so we all avoid it and once we cut it out of DHs diet he lost his taste for it entirely.

I probably wouldn't get bent out of shape if my mom let them have a sip here or there, but there's no reason for such a little kid to have an entire soda.

KathrynMD · January 2012

She's had a few sips of coke and iced tea and likes to have some of my coffee on teh weekends (and I've let her have sips of beer and wine too when she asked/seemed curious), but I'd never get her her own caffeinated soda. I feel like I stick otu like a sore thumb when I let her get chocolate milk!

We went to a neighborhood picnic when I was PG w/ DD and the couple next to us got their 3 or 4 yo her own diet coke; I'm still recovering from the shock of that.

On the other hand, I thought it was a little funny/silly that my ILs got all pearl-clutchy when I mentioned to their 12 yo that I had coke and sprite at a family party - meanwhile their kid guzzles Gatorade/Sports drinks 24/7.

futrkingsley · January 2012

franciscaz:

Nope. They are spaz enough w/o chemical stimulants They have had a rare sip of sprite but otherwise we avoid all sodas. I'm a Coke (cola that is) addict and I blame part of it on the fact my mom gave it to me from birth. We really want to teach the joys of water (and I'm learning them slowly with the kids).

When the kids do go out with family I've made it very clear that they get milk, choco milk, or apple juice at restaurants. That is what I consider an appropriate treat drink for a special occasion.

My experience is very similar. My parents served soda at meals for us when we were kids and I drank it daily most of my life. I've been attempting to abstain since Thanksgiving and have mostly kicked the habit (except at McD's on our roadtrip!). DS has had some cola -- on our trip to the Philippines when he was 2, it seemed like a safer drink option than water on many occassions. But it was situational only and he doesn't caffenaited soda at home. We do let him have a bit of ginger ale now and again, and some root beer very occassionally but it is not a regular occurance at all. Heck he doesn't even get juice that often. It's mostly water and milk (regular and chocolate). If either of my parents offered him soda, we'd have a long talk about it.

My mom is his nanny though and she knows that I expect her daily interactions with him to reflect that she isn't just a spoiling gramma, but a daily caregiver.

DragonflyBelle · January 2012

If she sneaks a sip of coke or tea from us once in a while, I think it's OK, but otherwise, no...she gets water, milk or some form of juice.

FutureMrsCaesar · January 2012

We don't do any caffeine for the kids, just water and milk and watered down juice once in a while. When we are out to eat DS1 is only allowed to get water, because I'm cheap. If it's a special occasion he can get a lemonade.

My main reason for not even letting him *taste* it is because I don't want to have to deal with the incessant NAGGING that will ensue if he likes it. If by the time he does get to try it, he doesn't like it, that will be an added bonus.

I don't think anything of people who share sips or whatever, but my cousin literally orders her son (same as as DS1, 3 yrs) soda when they go out to eat, which is quite often. And I do tell her that it's really not a good idea, and it reaffirms my belief to not give my kids any.

Jen&Len · January 2012

If it were just a sip, I wouldn't really care. But if were an cup, I would definitely say something.

FortMyersBride · January 2012

No, and we've never had a relative offer it to DS. If they did I would decline it or tell them to give him milk/juice/water next time. DH and I only keep tea, juice, and Gatorade in the house, and DS thinks it's a treat to get watered down Gatorade. The only time we have pop is when one of us has a headache.

MIL made kool aid at Thanksgiving. I don't know why but it really bothered me to have DS drinking it. Maybe b/c it's just sugar (even the juice we keep at home at least has calcium) and he has enamel issues to begin with. I let him have 1 glass and then made him drink water the rest of the weekend.

shopgirl78 · January 2012

Nope but he has had his own Sprite.

JoannaJes · January 2012

DS is active enough as it is...I would hate to see him on caffeine. I picture the Tasmanian Devil.

I would probably say something about an entire glass. I think some people truly don't think of caffeine as being a drug. That being said...DH and I both drink soda. I hated it as a kid though...I never drank it until I hit college.

LDQAM516 · January 2012

Absolutely not...and they won't until they can make that choice on their own (I know...sounds crazy, right?). DH and I don't drink soda so that is mainly why we are so strict...and I down right think it is really bad for you.

jjraad76 · January 2012

I really think you should tell your grandmother because it seems like you do spend alot of time with her, if it was a friend or even a cousin i also would just throw the drink away and just not say anything only because im sure there night in ur life as much, but this is ur grandmother and you should just let her know nicely.

MrsBalletStar05 · January 2012

Nope. Once we were out for a walk and he was super thirsty and all I had was a diet coke. I let him have one sip and he hated it :-P LOL. I honestly think that was the only time he's ever had anything with caffeine. He gets non-caffeinated soda on special occasions a few times a year.

wishin&hopin2008 · January 2012

I would just mention to your grandmother that you think that it caused her not to be able to nap. I would only say this if your grandmother is taking her to another McDonalds or something.

Rink08 · January 2012

I'd make it clear that you don't want her having any. DS1 is 5 and we wont allow him to have soda or caffeinated drinks. DH is a "health nut" and I just don't see any reason why kids should be drinking it. There are other options (water,milk, juice?) at those places so I'd just tell them what they can have and let them pick from those.

SummerMama12 · January 2012

No way. DS has only ever had milk, water, and watered down juice (unless we are at a party with only regular juice boxes, etc). I see no reason to change that.

DeputiesWife · January 2012

No.

DD doesnt like pop. and if she did or was willing to try some, it would sprite or something without caffeine in it.

MegGary · January 2012

No. I don't drink caffeinated soda myself so I would never give it to her. Juice, water & milk are just fine for a preschooler. She actually loves ice cold water most of the time.

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