What age did you first let your kids have soda?

[mrsltg]

My kids are 6 & 2. Both have had soda - it is a special treat. They drink milk, water, juice at home on an everyday basis. As others have said, everything in moderation. I LOVE diet coke and drink it every day with my lunch but otherwise have water. Thus far I'm still breathing so I figure I'm doing ok....

 

[tlbwriter]

ever done the coke with the penny and tooth in a cup trick??

chocolate milk cant ever do that - PERIOD.

Like I said, that came to me from a dentist, and I believe him. Unless your children brush their teeth immediately after drinking chocolate milk, it stays there for a long time, bathing their teeth in sugar. I didn't say chocolate milk was unhealthy (though it is full of sugar) or that soda is better for you. I simply responded to a post about chocolate milk being better for dental health.

 

[mickeylove2]

I like this thread!! My girls are 4 & 6 and they had their first drink of soda at their 1st b-day parties. They drink it, and yes I drink soda everyday so does my hubby. I see nothing wrong with it, both of my girls would rather have water or juice anyway, but they do drink soda occasionally, when they ask for it I give it to them. For the record, I have perfect teeth, only 1 cavity EVER in my life, DH has never had a cavity and only had to have 1 tooth fixed and that was because it got chipped when he was in the military as a police officer and got elbowed in the mouth. Neither of my girls have had cavities, yet and they are meticulous about brushing their teeth. I don't get all hyped up about these types of things, there are a lot worse that can happen, so I don't think a cavity here and there is bad. Oh yeah and my kids eat candy almost daily, and they have ice cream, and red meat, and white bread too! I don't buy anything organic, or soy and we are all very healthy!

 

[twinmom319]

Great thread!

No soda. My DDs are 3. I can't see myself giving them soda for many, many years. There is just no reason for it. We try to do treat drinks with juice occasionally, but for the girls it's just milk and water. And I drink diet coke like it's going out of style! I just don't see the need to expose them to that... Too many health problems stem from the sugar/carbonation in soda.

From someone with three kids who love soda, and have been drinking since they were about 2.... 1. try to keep your baby away from it. It's terrible for them, and once they start it's hard to keep them away from it. 2. ignore people who think you're being crazy/overprotective. They are just jealous your kid isn't ruining her health like theirs are. 3. the best way to keep them away from soda is to give them stuff that tastes better (come on milk TASTES much better, it's just not as convinient)

I completely agree with this!!

 

[bellebud]

and we make other alternatives available on a daily, consistent basis, such as iced or hot tea, water, milk, etc.

just curious... I had someone tell me how bad iced tea is for kids since it's loaded w/ caffeine, and caffeine is very bad for growing bones. We actually just started having iced tea in the house (dh asked for it), so I bought the decaffeinated kind, but I remember reading once how the decaffeinating process for coffee makes the coffee unhealthy (???) wondering about the iced tea then? (i'm not picking on your post grlpwrd, i thought maybe you'd know about it)...

and the sugar in the iced tea is 17g for 8oz... our capri sun roarin' waters juice bags have 9g per 6.75oz... i'm always just trying to pick healthy choices for the kids, and boy does it get hard sometimes! of course there's water and milk, but for other alternatives... ???

 

[meandtheguys2]

and the sugar in the iced tea is 17g for 8oz... our capri sun roarin' waters juice bags have 9g per 6.75oz... i'm always just trying to pick healthy choices for the kids, and boy does it get hard sometimes! of course there's water and milk, but for other alternatives... ???

The sugar in ice tea is easily adjusted. We use flavored herb teas, with the smallest bit of honey. Nice flavor, and doesn't train kids to look for sticky sweet all of the time.

My kids were probably 5 or 6 before they were given any soda. There isn't any reason it needs to be allowed at all. Two enjoy a drink of it every once in a while, and no. 3 doesn't like it at all. He has always chosen water.

When we have soda we choose brands without HFCS. That stuff is nasty. It started out as a waste product, and hasn't improved.

 

[emh1129]

ever done the coke with the penny and tooth in a cup trick??

chocolate milk cant ever do that - PERIOD.

face facts people - soda is FAR worse than any of the alternatives metioned here, they're acidic, gassy, FULL of sugar ..... and I love them, but I sure aint giving them to my young kids.

I have no doubt that when they're off and about down to parties and sleepovers soon they will be offered and they will accept, but I will not be giving it to them.

Yes. Soda is the absolute worst for dental health
Our dentist recommends any of the alternatives (diluted 100% juice, regular water, milk, chocolate milk) over soda.

I do believe in the 'everything in moderation' when the children are old enough to ask for it once in a great, great while (thankfully mine haven't yet, but I'm realistic). Right now we just don't allow it, it's just not an option for them- but they don't ask anyway, so it's been easy.
It just scares me when it becomes a habit, like with my nieces and nephews who are really overweight and are already struggling with that

 

[taximomfor4]

we don't forbid soda at all...but neither DH nor I drink it, so it is never in the house. At grandma's, there is ALWAYS soda. They sometimes choose it there, but sometimes not. I don't know how old they each were when they finally had some (not younger than 3, for sure) but we always discuss healthy vs. nonhealthy choices. They tend to weigh all of that when choosing how badly they want a "treat." Oh, but my oldest (14) has refused soda every time it's been offered for many months now, because she doesn't consider the "badness" of it to be "worth it." The other kids (who will still choose soda occasionally) are 5,7,and 9.


Mostly, the 5yo MUCH prefers cold water. The 9yo MUCH prefers plain, white milk. The 7yo is the one who prefers soda for sure. He's got a sweet tooth!! Good thing soda is never in our house.