What age did your kids start drinking soda?

[Hillbeans]

Just curious....not trying to start a debate or anything, but at what age did your kids start drinking soda?

My son is almost 5 and has never had soda. I can be fairly certain he wouldn't even want it if I gave it to him. The reason I ask is that we went to a sit-down restaurant over the weekend with my 3 & 6 yo nieces and the waitress asked the 3 yo and the 4 yo what kind of soda they wanted for their beverage. I know Juice isn't exactly health food however I did think it was strange not to offer milk or juice as a selection.

I don't remember when I had my first soda either, probably sometime near 9 or 10.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Darling son does NOT drink soda! I don't even know if he ever tried it. I almost think he tried Sprite and some orange soda, but he doesn't like it. WOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

[palmtreegirl]

My kids are 5 & 9 and they don't drink soda, my 9 year old tried it but she didn't like it.

 

[lulugirl]

We never offered it to Dd, fortunately she has always loved milk and water. Now that she's six she still drinks milk or water, occasionally she'll ask for juice or lemonade.

 

[mom2grace]

Bad mommy here, both of my kids started drinking Coke around 2 years old because I drink it. They only get a drink of mine, they don't get their own.

Occasionally I will let my 4 year old have a small Sprite, but she hardly drinks it.

 

[Kae]

My kids DS8 & DD5 were about 3 their babysitter makes to makes Root beer floats for treats. My kids prefer water or lemonade at Restaurants. DS loves Gingerale. DH drinks soda at work and maybe sometimes with dinner. I don't drink much soda maybe 1 a week-unless it has something in it.

Kae

 

[Annette_VA]

Mine are 2 & 4 and they don't drink soda. We let my 4 year old try it once just to see what he'd think of it and he said it was "too spicy"

 

[aprilgail2]

I think my daughter was around 2 when she had coke for the first time...she likes root beer and coke, no other kinds of soda....my daughter drinks milk in the morning and at night before bed..thats about all the milk I want her to have with all the hormones etc in it....she has juice in school and soda for dinner.

 

[jacksonsmom]

My DS--6 doesn't drink it. The only pop he has ever had was ginger-ale when he had the flu. He really didn't like it and had to let it get flat before drinking it.

 

[llij]

My 7 yo DD hates soda which is fine with me. My 9 yo never liked soda until about a year ago. We let her have Sprite as a special treat every once in awhile.

 

[C.Ann]

When they were teenagers and had money to buy it themselves.. I never had soda in the house..

 

[KelNottAt]

My kids started out having soda around 1st or 2nd grade on special occassions only: parties, holidays, vacation, etc. Now that they're in middle school, I'd say they ASK for soda a lot; but 9 times out of 10, they don't get it. Milk and water are the most common drinks in the house. Soda, once or twice a week. Oh - I should clarify - we only drink decaf and diet sodas.

Strange but true: We don't drink juice. (Unless you count my low-sodium V-8... Which most people don't ) In fact, when we're expecting house guests, I have to make a point of finding out what juices they like so I remember to buy some. I think it would be safe to say my kids hate juice.

 

[aprilgail2]

Milk and water are the most common drinks in the house. Soda, once or twice a week. Oh - I should clarify - we only drink decaf and diet sodas.
ce.

I never ever let my daughter have diet anything...I read all sorts of reports about the effects of nutrasweet and rain developement on kids under 11 and it was horrifying....even her Dr said that no child under 11 should have any products with nutrasweet in them...

 

[Jennifer S]

My son was 8 and I didn't even give it to him. He was at a neighbors and she gave it to him My 5 year old has not had one yet - he was home that day.

 

[Beth76]

Funny you should ask because my 16 month old just tried it tonight for the first time. He just happened to sneak a sip from my cup. I normally wouldn't allow him to have soda, he doesn't even get juice yet. My 4yo does drink soda occasionally and he probably started when he was around 3. It's not an everyday think, but usually special when we go out or at a party.

 

[EColbert]

My 9 year old won't drink it. She's tried it before but she doesn't like it, she says the bubbles upset her stomach.

 

[madgomez]

My boys, 4 and 7, don't drink soda, and won't as long as I can keep it that way. Luckily, both tried it by accident, and neither liked it. DS7 already understands about healthy vs unhealthy, so it's no big deal. Yet.

 

[RadioNate]

My DS is 4 and he gets Sprite on occasion. He'll also steal a sip of my coke now and then. We don't keep any in the house so he only gets it when we are out. If Lemonaide is available he prefers that but there are some places we go that it isn't an option. He will also have bottled water when that's available.

I'd say he gets Sprite 1-2x a week. We have a 1 cup rule too. If he has Sprite at a restaurant no refills. After that it is water.

We don't do milk or juice. He'll have the occasional orange juice or apple juice at school but nothing else.

 

[kidshop]

My ds3 has never had more than a sip of soda, but ds6 ocassionally (like once a month) has a non-caffeinated soda. It is a very rare treat for him, as I mostly encourage water to drink. They will drink enough soda when they get older, so I prefer to restrict access as much as possible for as long as possible. I don't have it in the house and we rarely eat out, so that pretty much takes care of that!

 

[graygables]

My younger 2 never really cared for it (wrinkle up their nose and say, "strong stuff!"). My mom did get my older 2 addicted by giving it to them when they were babies even (she gave it to ME when I was a baby...in a bottle!!! )

DD3 is now 9yo and she drinks it sometimes as a special treat, but they prefer plain ice water.