kids and soda

valzee · May 2013

Hey everyone,

We're having a debate here at work about soda so I wanted to see what you all thought. What age is it appropriate to have soda at a kid's birthday party? 4 years old? Older? One of my coworkers went to a birthday party last weekend for a 2 year old and all they had to drink for all the kids was soda.

Ms5586 · May 2013

Indifferent 2 years old?

Personally, I will never have a party that just has soda (pop!!) because then I'd drink it

My nephew just turned 8, and there was water, juice, and pop. That's the way all of our parties are.

SusieBW · May 2013

To have soda as an option for the kids? I think older than 4. 7 or 8, maybe? It's hard to say until I get there, I think. But I don't drink much soda, either. Also, I would never have that as the only option.

DD has sips of soda here and there, and she really likes it, but I wouldn't dream of giving her her own whole cup of soda right now. Juice or lemonade, though, which probably has as many calories and as much sugar as soda, I have no problem giving her her own cup of it once in a while. But I usually water it down. I also usually water down my own juice and lemonade when I drink it.

memali26 · May 2013

Depends on the type of party. For our usual family parties, I'd serve pop, water, coffee and maybe lemonade and let parents choose what to give their kids. For a party specifically for the kids - as in, we invited a gaggle of 2yos - I would just have juice and water and wouldn't serve pop at all, at any age before about middle school, so around 11-12ish.

ldcoffel · May 2013

Only soda? 8 or 9

jen4ny · May 2013

I think way older than four. Maybe in middle school.

Jcraul · May 2013

Yeah, I'm leaning toward 8 or 9 too. My SIL gave our niece soda at like 3 & 4... just sips she said, no big deal. Now she is 6 and drinks a soda a day. I don't even drink a soda a day.

GingerNess · May 2013

Jcraul:
Yeah, I'm leaning toward 8 or 9 too. My SIL gave our niece soda at like 3 & 4... just sips she said, no big deal. Now she is 6 and drinks a soda a day. I don't even drink a soda a day.

Eeek! That is horrible decision making on her part.

To answer the question, it's hard to say until I'm in the situation, but probably never or until like 14/15 (but by this age "birthday parties" will be lame). The kids at parties we go to all drink juice, water, fruit punch (blech!), and capri suns. Honestly, if the option isn't there, it can't be chosen. I really don't think an 8 year old goes to a party looking for soda. There will be enough other sweets like cake, ice cream, etc. to look forward to...

And I would flip my shiz before I served soda to two year olds...or let my two year old drink it. No flippin way!

Pips09 · May 2013

Actually set out for kids to drink? I'm thinking like 10-12. We have it out for adults now, but not for kids.

Yasiris1105 · May 2013

Only soda? after 5 and still I would try to have at least one more option. I went to a fists birthday party and they had soda and juice. I though that was a nice idea.

manda26 · May 2013

I would never have only soda no matter who the party is for. Even my 5 yo nephew would choose water over anything else. Most of my friends don't even give their kids juice (it is water or milk) but I had juice at O's 1st bday party just in case. He only drinks water.

We don't drink soda often at all(well my ILs always have it, but I don't plan on giving O any for a long time).

babyAutumn · May 2013

We offered pop, for the first time, as an option at DD's 7th birthday party...we also had apple juice, white grape juice and water as options. Most of the kids drank water. IMHO a party for a 2 yo is far too young to offer pop.

Just out of curiosity, what nationality was hosting the party? We have friends that are east Indian and it is a status symbol to have Coke to offer guests. Whenever we go over to visit they only ever offer Coke and Diet Coke. They even used to give their 1 yo Coke in his bottle when they had company.

shelley1002 · May 2013

memali26:
Depends on the type of party. For our usual family parties, I'd serve pop, water, coffee and maybe lemonade and let parents choose what to give their kids. For a party specifically for the kids as in, we invited a gaggle of 2yos I would just have juice and water and wouldn't serve pop at all, at any age before about middle school, so around 1112ish.

This is my thinking.

babybmom · May 2013

I think 4 is too young. 9or 10 maybe?

shelovesfrodo · May 2013

Um, never?

We're lemonade and punch drinkin' folk. If a child wanted soda at their party, I'd probably say 8-10 years old.

starshine985 · May 2013

I think it's totally normal to serve pop at a party, no matter what it's for or the age of the attending children. In my circle, pop is always offered, but it's never the ONLY thing offered. This usually pop, water, beer and sometimes juice. It's up to the parents to choose what they want their kids to drink. So weird that they only offered pop...

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