Will your child choose a glass of water over soda?

Thanks for commenting Elizabeth...I totally agree with you.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
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Ok, I admit it - I drink Diet Dr. Pepper, a lot of it in fact. Is it hypocritcal? Yes but I am an adult & it is my choice. My son does not drink soda. He is 5. In fact he'll tell you it is a Mommy or Daddy drink only, not for little boys. The way I see it is a lot like alcohol or any other vice (smoking, coffee, too much tv/media, etc). Do you not drink beer or wine because it is unhealthy, not for kids, & hypocritical to tell your kids "Not until your older" about that?   As a parent it is my job to regulate to the best of my ability what my child eats or drinks & to teach him healthy choices, even if I don't set the best example myself.

Charlie does drink juice once in awhile, not enough milk but lots of water. Water is his preferred drink.  When he starts asking, then I'll tell him soda is bad for you if you drink too much. As a treat later on, sure, in moderation.  Children need to learn how to make wise choices on their own in age appropriate time frames. You give them the skills, information, etc. & let them choose. Different choices for a 5 yr old vs a 13 yr old but hopefully you've given them a good foundation.

I'm okay with "I'm the parent & I'm an adult, that's why" line of thinking.

Elizabeth

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She even packs a bottle of water with her school lunch.

We don't buy soda.  We don't even buy juice.  A treat here is diet V8 Splash.  We do buy the Crystal Lite drink mixes so we can sometimes change it up, but mostly it's water.

Soda has been gone for years, along with sugared cereals and a million other things. 

At home, it's generally water or skim milk. 

(None of these changes have had an impact on my overweight child's BMI, though.  I know it seems 'as simple as that' to some people, but I'm here to tell you - we've done 1,000 of those simple things and it's just not as simple as that.  We HAVE had success helping her to lose some of the weight, but it's not because of water or any of that - it's because of a custom food plan and weighing and measuring portions and those sorts of thing.  It's way more radical than those simple things you read about in Redbook.  I'm sure not everyone has the same experience but I'm here to say... it's not as simple as people make it out to be, especially when you have a 7 year old who doesn't understand why everyone else gets to have brownies - or whatever - and she does not.)

JustLinda fabulously imperfect Nothing to See Here... Just Linda ( http://justlinda.net )

My opinion is that it's easier to get your kids to drink water if they are in some sort of sport that requires physical endurance.  Also, it is easier if the parents don't drink it.  I am worried myself because my husband drink soda every day, and that by itself is going to be challenging when my son gets older.

Just finished posting my comment, scrolled up the screen to see what else is happening on blogher today, and somehow my eye was immediately drawn to the sidebar:  

"PepsiCo at Blogher '09"

 LOL.... 

Robin

Visit my blog at http://hereswhatidontget.blogspot.com

I am very fortunate to have a child who drinks nothing BUT water.  No milk (the texture is too challenging for her).  No juice--she doesn't like it.  And absolutely no soda, which she thinks she is an evil creation in each and every variety and incarnation.  (She's 9, by the way, and this has never varied, so those of you with 3 year olds, it can last!)  

I echo the sentiments of those who simply say that it's not a choice, at least in their own houses.  There is no reason, under the sun (imnsho), why we have to buy anything in particular for our kids.  We're supposed to be making these choices for them.  But that highlights the sticky part, which I haven't seen anyone really address so far...

What do WE drink?  At the end of the day, kids learn what they see, they want to be like us, and they learn to like things that are introduced when they are little (which might be why I have one of the few kids on the block who is very fond of Indian food even though we're not Indian).  If we drink soda, they want it.  If it's in the house, it's far harder (not to mention hypocritical, which they will freely point out to us as they get older) to send the message that it's "bad for you".

I know.  Why should we have to change what we use, what we eat or drink, what we do, just because we have kids?  I'm the grownup, and if I want soda, then I'm going to have it!  My answer?  We don't.  There's always that good old standby, "Do as I say and not as I do".   We just have to accept that we can't have it both ways, and accept responsibility for our choices and their consequences.  Simple.

I sound so hard line.  I'm not, really.  There's a lot of "anything goes" in my house, and we've been known to eat a good deal more sugar than we should or than I would like.  I'm working on that one.  In my daughter's early years, I did make a huge effort to avoid introducing or modeling any of this stuff (including sugar), and I'm not inclined to hide my delight to find that at least ONE of my efforts paid off.

Robin

Visit my blog at http://hereswhatidontget.blogspot.com

Our children are young, 4 1/2 adn 2. But we don't keep soda in the house (nor will we ever) so if they do drink soda it won't be at home. Also, at this point we talk to our kids about what helps our bodies and what hurts our bodies - or what is not good for us - and they actually have good conversations about good and bad food. We do talk about soda being high in sugar and of no nutritional value - so hopefully through our talks and actions this won't be a problem. I don't care if when they are older they have something like this from time to time, but in no way would I allow it to be an everyday thing. And I do believe it starts at home (healthy eating habits).

Kathy

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Believe it or not, but my 2 kids (4yo and 2yo) actually prefer to drink water.

A very effective tip that a friend shared with me:  When her kid asked for soda, she actually didn't refuse, but gave her one that was cold and freshly opened.   The biting fizz was enough to turn her off and she never wanted to have soda again even when offered.

I did the same and it worked (so far)!

I am one of the rare mothers whose kid DOESN'T like soda. He hates the fizz and loves to drink milk/water. He is 3 now - I hope it lasts................

My kids drink soda when we go out to eat, otherwise it's water or milk. 

Mocha Dad

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Yeah, I tell them no.  They are 6 and 7.  I am shocked that I'm the "weird" parent among my friends.  My son was served soda AT HIS PRESCHOOL one day.  I was pissed.  He was 3.  There's no excuse.

What I don't get is why it's a big deal.  It's so easy.  You just don't give it to them.  I tell my kids it's a grown-up beverage that they can drink when they are older.  Just recently we started letting them have it if it was being served at birthday parties.  They acted like they had been give the keys to the kingdon.  And here's the important part--they didn't want that much.  It was too sweet.

Now I don't pretend that my kids eat like saints.  We let them have a piece of candy--after dinner.  They eat fried food and probably not enough vegetables although they are presented with them regularly.  But soda?  Seriously.  It's too easy.  Just don't give it to them. Give them milk, water, soy milk, watered down juice, tea, etc.  So many options.

My daughter, who's 6, has been asking for soda, so we allow her to have it when we go to restaurants, which is rare for us to do.  My son does not like it so far (he's 4).  At home is no issue.  We do have it in the house, but my daughter understands its ok occasionally, not all the time and she has to ask first, not just take a can out of the fridge.  Its like anything else, ok in moderation.  And I usually drink diet, which both of them hate. They have tried to swipe my drink from time to time and don't like it.

My problem is at birthday parties.  That's all some of these moms have for the kids at the party, because if its ok by them, why can't my kid drink it?.  We try to provide juice boxes and water when we have a party.  So I told my daughter she can have it at the party if that is all that is available and I'd rather she have sprite or 7up instead of coke or pepsi.

My husband LOVES soda, and there was a time when we would stock up on pop.  Then one day, as I was putting out our recycling bin, I realized we had a problem....plus, what kind of role model are we to be drinking so much soda.  While I'm not a huge soda fan, if it's there I will drink it.

 My kids will drink it if it is there , so we only buy soda on the weekend for a treat.  I've also talked with them about how unhealthy soda is and that they should drink water or milk if they are thirsty.  They completely understand and are happy drinking water when they are thirsty. 

We haven't introduced it to our 3yo daughter and when we eat at fast food places, she can have her choice of juices or chocolate milk or milk which are a treat. My daughter loves water (which I'm thankful for). I loved pop as a kid, LOVED IT, but I stopped drinking it about six years ago. Now when I have one, it tastes funny and not refreshing at all. I think if I can delay my daughter's pop drinking for a few more years (she's three) and keep it down to one "treat" a week when she eventually gets a taste for it, it can be a safe occasional treat. Yes, I know, I'm probably dreaming but that's my plan ;)

So it's not even an option. 

I do allow them to order soda when we eat out.

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We don't have soda as a beverage in our house...water is the drink of choice, as well as milk and soymilk, and occasionally, juice. When we go out to eat, we usually let the kids get a soda, juice or lemonade. (nothing with caffeine though). My kids are older now; when they were toddlers they never, ever, had soda. Soda is a special treat and I'm ok with that. If we went out to eat very often, I wouldn't let them get a soda every time, but weeks go by without one for us. 

My kids know that before they have a soda they have to drink a glass of milk or water first.  They don't always want to soda after that, or they realize that they were just thirsty and not thinking.  I try not to deny, because that always makes things more desirable.