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Do you allow your kids to drink Mountain Dew?


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More specifically...your teenager?

 

And say your child makes his or her own money and can buy it themselves. Do you let them do that? Do you limit how much you will let them buy/drink?

 

Just wondering how others compare to what dh and I allow and don't allow for our kiddos.

 

ETA: Or any sodas for that matter?

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Our kids are younger but we do allow occasional sodas (not daily but a couple of times a week). We do not allow Mountain Dew specifically as we have always heard that it was unusually harsh on teeth. If they decide to drink it after they leave our home, that is their choice.

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My 17 year old drinks Diet Mountain Dew. Our rule is one soda a day, even if it is diet. This is due to his special diet. The rules were in place since ds was a little kid.

 

Due to our rules, we now do not have an issue with him as a 17 yr. old. It now gets odd with him checking in with us to get permission to have a diet soda when we go out to eat or at a potluck. :tongue_smilie: Now I have to train him that soon he will be an adult and he has to make those diet choices on his own. But he is also Asperger's Syndrome and immature social cues like the diet soda issue are common. LOL ;)

 

If he is a typical teen, then you need to address it as with meals or is he buying the Mountain Dew with his own money while on his own with friends? The only thing I can think of is there is caffeine in the Dew... but nothing like a Red Bull or Monster drink.

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I don't allow my kids to have caffiene.

 

Ds17 doesn't like carbonation, so he hasn't ever had a soda (only a few sips to realize he doesn't like it).

 

DD13 likes soda. I buy her an occasional Sprite, but usually keep Izzys or other fruit juice bases sodas around. She can have 3 a week at her own will. I know she drinks regular soda at a friends house, but I think it is minimal.

 

DD5 doesn't like soda.

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Sure. Not usually Mountain Dew because they don't like it. Big Red is the current favorite. We buy soda and have it when company visits or on a Friday or Saturdy night with pizza night.

 

I probaby would prefer that I be the one buying it because then I have some control over the consumption.

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We do not buy any soda to have at home, but when the kids are out and pay with their own money, they may buy soda if they wish. No limit, but they never buy more than a single drink anyway.

ETA: Nobody likes Mt Dew. DS likes Dr. Pepper. DD is much more likely to buy iced tea or frappucino than soda.

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Nope. We don't do much soda in this house (at least for the kids.) On the rare occasion that we go out to eat or we have a family gettogether with friends/family, they will have a pop. But, Mountain Dew is not done in our house. My 18yos is very anti-caffeine. Mr. Smartypants tells me it is a habit he doesn't want to start. While I am glad he appreciates feeding his body carefully, I wonder how long it will last in college. Hmm...

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Yes, it's ok with me. Just today my son bought a Mountain Dew and three mozzarella sticks while we were at Walmart. He got the items, paid for them, and then came shopping with us to pick up the rest of our items.

 

None of our kids are overly fascinated with any junk food- so with the money they earn, they're free to spend it as they wish.

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Mountain dew no, though his father does. Other pop yes on occasion. Ds13 prefers swamp water if he is drinking fountain pop or dr. pepper if bottled. DD12 prefers 7up. Ds8 likes root beer and dd4 loves coke. These are treat drinks and not purchased often.

 

Mountain dew only ds13 likes BUT it makes his behaviours out of control and he is 100% guaranteed to wet the bed if he had any mountain dew at all that day. He gets why i say no but asks anyway, if he asks his dad his dad happily buys him a 2L. After he had some camping with auntie and flooded the trailer bed auntie learned why I am such a meanie and say no to it.

 

He still wets with other pop but not everytime.

 

Even with their own money I help steer them towards proper choices, so if they want pop with their own money I recommend the can instead of teh 2L, all about moderation, and financial stewardship. They can have the treat they want and not need to spend every penny, and it keeps the treat as a treat and not an over indulgence.

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NO!

 

My rules on caffeine:

 

+ No (added) caffeine until age 14. A single sip of a caffeinated soda or coffee a few times a year excepted but not encouraged.

 

+ No coffee (not even decaf) until age 16+.

 

+ No regular tea until age 14+. (Herbal is fine.)

 

+ At age 14, 15, 16, child can have up to one or two caffeine-containing sodas per day on occasion. (Not a daily thing.)

 

+ No "Monster" or similar until age 17+.

 

+ At age 17+, the child is on their own making choices on what they eat and drink.

 

I think caffeine is a very abused drug. I am shocked at how many good parents allow their kids to consume so much of it.

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We do not keep soda in the house. If we go out to dinner (1-2x month) then they can have one. In hindsight I wish I would not have started that. They have never had MD. If one developed a taste for it, I would probably let it slide *in moderation*.

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NO!

 

My rules on caffeine:

 

+ No (added) caffeine until age 14. A single sip of a caffeinated soda or coffee a few times a year excepted but not encouraged.

 

+ No coffee (not even decaf) until age 16+.

 

+ No regular tea until age 14+. (Herbal is fine.)

 

+ At age 14, 15, 16, child can have up to one or two caffeine-containing sodas per day on occasion. (Not a daily thing.)

 

+ No "Monster" or similar until age 17+.

 

+ At age 17+, the child is on their own making choices on what they eat and drink.

 

I think caffeine is a very abused drug. I am shocked at how many good parents allow their kids to consume so much of it.

 

My only calm kid is my 4 yr old that steals my coffee every morning. Caffeine is a good choice for adhd and asthmatics. My kids love to share a cup of tea and chat it up. They started joining the adults for a cup of tea after big meals at about age 2. Back then it was mostly milk with a splash of tea, now it is mostly tea with a splash of milk. I agree with no monster or other such energy drinks.

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I don't buy soda/pop/Coke so it's not an issue here in terms of what I oversee. We eat an organic diet and my guys, under my auspices, drink water and our own milk. What my teens ~ my oldest in particular, as a young adult ~ does elsewhere with his own money is his own issue. I can't pretend, nor would I want to, to police whether or not he's drinking a Red Bull or whatever.

 

My guys are extremely well-versed in why we eat/drink the way we do, but the reality is that they'll do their own thing sometimes. That's as it should be. The one thing all of them know is that if, as teens, they're expected to pay for any medical or dental issues that I determine are brought on by their bad habits. If my oldest suddenly developed cavities, for example, there's a pretty good chance it'd be related to poor diet and/or poor dental care. How do I know? Because in 17 years of parenting 5 guys thus far, I've rarely had to even visit the dentist and yet they all have stellar dental records. So if a teen suddenly has an issue, I'd talk to our dentist/friend and likely determine that it's his financial responsibility.

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NO!

 

My rules on caffeine:

 

+ No (added) caffeine until age 14. A single sip of a caffeinated soda or coffee a few times a year excepted but not encouraged.

 

+ No coffee (not even decaf) until age 16+.

 

+ No regular tea until age 14+. (Herbal is fine.)

 

+ At age 14, 15, 16, child can have up to one or two caffeine-containing sodas per day on occasion. (Not a daily thing.)

 

+ No "Monster" or similar until age 17+.

 

+ At age 17+, the child is on their own making choices on what they eat and drink.

 

I think caffeine is a very abused drug. I am shocked at how many good parents allow their kids to consume so much of it.

 

Wow, that is a a lot of rules....I couldn't keep all that straight. My kids know that we don't have a lot of rules in our house, mainly because I would never remember to enforce them. :lol: LOL (laughing at me, not you)

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I don't buy soda/pop/Coke so it's not an issue here in terms of what I oversee. We eat an organic diet and my guys, under my auspices, drink water and our own milk. What my teens ~ my oldest in particular, as a young adult ~ does elsewhere with his own money is his own issue. I can't pretend, nor would I want to, to police whether or not he's drinking a Red Bull or whatever.

 

My guys are extremely well-versed in why we eat/drink the way we do, but the reality is that they'll do their own thing sometimes. That's as it should be. The one thing all of them know is that if, as teens, they're expected to pay for any medical or dental issues that I determine are brought on by their bad habits. If my oldest suddenly developed cavities, for example, there's a pretty good chance it'd be related to poor diet and/or poor dental care. How do I know? Because in 17 years of parenting 5 guys thus far, I've rarely had to even visit the dentist and yet they all have stellar dental records. So if a teen suddenly has an issue, I'd talk to our dentist/friend and likely determine that it's his financial responsibility.

 

I haven't seen you around here forever! Welcome back

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If we go out to dinner (1-2x month) then they can have one. In hindsight I wish I would not have started that.

 

Why don't you just not do it, then? Aside from not linking the thought of eating out and drinking soda, it'll save you a pretty penny over the years.

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I grew up with a grandpa who always had several different kinds of soda. I would drink one or more whenever over there, which was several times a week. I've never had any addiction to sugar, have only had two cavities in my entire 35 years, and am only slighty overweight (and that didn't happen until my 30s and had actually cut soda from my own diet).

 

My dds can have soda when we go out and they can purchase it with their own money for our weekly family movie nights. They are stick thin, have had zero cavities thus far (10 & 12 years old), and are healthy.

 

It's not something I stress over.

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My son drinks diet sodas. I try to keep it to one a day, but sometimes he manages a second one.

 

I try to steer him toward things that are also caffiene free, but sometimes he really wants a Coke or we are somewhere that doesn't have a caffiene-free diet drink. When he was younger, we were stricter about that aspect.

 

Since this is a health restriction and not a financial one, it wouldn't matter to me if he were making money and wanting to buy his own.

 

And there are a whole host of other factors I'd consider with regard to a sugared drink, including how the kid's diet is over-all, whether there are any weight or other physical issues to accomodate, etc.

 

But, since I'm a big soda drinker, myself, I don't have the moral high ground to forbid it all together. We aim for moderation and common sense and get on with our lives.

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Yes. All our kids (youngest is 7) are allowed to drink soda if they're out somewhere without us. If Dh or I is there, we'll usually allow it, but we don't keep it in the house. Whose money they use doesn't matter to me at all.

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My son drinks diet sodas. I try to keep it to one a day, but sometimes he manages a second one.

 

I try to steer him toward things that are also caffiene free, but sometimes he really wants a Coke or we are somewhere that doesn't have a caffiene-free diet drink. When he was younger, we were stricter about that aspect.

 

Since this is a health restriction and not a financial one, it wouldn't matter to me if he were making money and wanting to buy his own.

 

And there are a whole host of other factors I'd consider with regard to a sugared drink, including how the kid's diet is over-all, whether there are any weight or other physical issues to accomodate, etc.

 

But, since I'm a big soda drinker, myself, I don't have the moral high ground to forbid it all together. We aim for moderation and common sense and get on with our lives.

 

Since it is a health issue for you why diet instead of regular? I would rather my kids have the regular sugar of a coke than the aspartame of a diet kwim.

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No. Habits created early last a lifetime. On rare occasions we have soda. My kids know why we stay away, and they've also begun to see that it makes them feel sick.

 

What my oldest son does with his own $ I cannot control. But even my 17Dd doesn't drink it because she knows how much salt and sugar is in it, and it also make her feel sick.

 

I DO let my kids have coffee early, (whenever they develop a taste for it), and they can drink as much tea as they like, but no soda.

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Since it is a health issue for you why diet instead of regular? I would rather my kids have the regular sugar of a coke than the aspartame of a diet kwim.

 

:iagree:I do not let them order or purchase diet sodas at all. I can't stop them from doing it when they're adults, but it's just not allowed now.

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Since it is a health issue for you why diet instead of regular? I would rather my kids have the regular sugar of a coke than the aspartame of a diet kwim.

I'm not answering this for Jenny in FL, but for my family we drink diet soda for dietary reasons. I am Type II Diabetic with son and I having a rare liver disease that prohibits protein in all forms (i.e. dairy, cheese, meat, fish, nuts, whole grains, etc) as it is toxic to our liver and brain. Thus, our low protein diet tends to be in favor of a High Carb & fruits/veg diet.

 

Interesting enough, my A1C levels have been below 5.8 for the last 4 years since I first got dx'ed (A1C back then was above a 7.3), but I still have to be taking Metformin and due to my liver disease eat more carbs and processed/refined foods that are lower in protein, basically. We restrict ds from real soda due to its high calories and his diet alone is carb heavy. So, a once a day diet soda helps him have more portion of a meal in his restricted diet. (And a real soda is "empty" calories)

 

As a Diabetic, the issue of Aspartamine or artifical sweeteners is not a dealbreaker for us.

 

ETA: Ds is 17 and so far... no cavities!

Edited by tex-mex
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We don't have hard and fast rules for the 14 yo. She mostly drinks water or green tea. Sometimes she'll make a cold coffee milk from whatever's leftover from the pot. Her favorite soda is ginger ale. I don't go to Whole Foods very often, but when I do I will pick up a couple of 6-packs of their ginger ale.

 

If we go eat and they don't have ginger ale, she'll get a DP or RB. Occasionally she'll get tea.

 

We keep cane sugar soda for DH. He has a corn intolerance. This is his only vice. DD will sometimes steal one of his cokes, but it takes her 3 days to get through it.

 

The 4yo thankfully doesn't like carbonated drinks. She drinks water and milk. Sometimes green tea. She only gets juice if we eat out. You can't leave coffee unattended, which is a pain, though. I even switched to espresso for awhile to deter her. It didn't work.

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More specifically...your teenager?

 

And say your child makes his or her own money and can buy it themselves. Do you let them do that? Do you limit how much you will let them buy/drink?

 

Just wondering how others compare to what dh and I allow and don't allow for our kiddos.

 

ETA: Or any sodas for that matter?

No sodas in my home. I can't control what they do outside, but one never drank soda and the other has decided not to because of all the sugar content. Dentist today - no cavities!

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Under 12, one pop a week with pizza dinner on Fridays, one pop at Pokemon league on Saturdays-no caffeine. My 12 yo can now choose a caffeinated pop if he prefers. (12 oz. can)

12 was really an arbritrary number I thought up when put on the spot when my oldest was 5 or so. 12 seemed so far away! It wasn't. He turned 12 this May and was so proud to his the milestone of caffeinated beverages. LOL

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Just say NO to Mountain Dew! Mountain Dew, along with many other popular citrus flavored sodas (orange sodas especially) contains a chemical called BVO (Bromated Vegetable Oil) which is a FLAME RETARDANT! It is used to keep the flavor syrup and the other liquids "mixed". As for other sodas which do not contain this nasty chemical, we do not buy soda. My children will sometimes buy it with their allowance, but that is limited as well. As I write we are again revising our soda intake rule. We are phasing out. The sugar addiction of some of my children is over the top. Too much ugar can wreak havoc on a child's brain. For some children (and adults) sugar sensitivity can cause all sorts of mood problems, focus problems, behavior problems, health issues, etc. Anyway, just thought I'd give the heads up about the BVO in Mt. Dew in case you didn't know. :D

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I think a teenager is old enough to decide if he wants to buy Mt Dew with his own money. I was a teenager once and I can't imagine having so little control as to not even be able to buy myself a can of soda.

 

If there are younger siblings you're concerned about, it makes sense to ask him to not drink it in front of them (unless he's willing to share and you are OK with the other kids having some).

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Just say NO to Mountain Dew! Mountain Dew, along with many other popular citrus flavored sodas (orange sodas especially) contains a chemical called BVO (Bromated Vegetable Oil) which is a FLAME RETARDANT! It is used to keep the flavor syrup and the other liquids "mixed". As for other sodas which do not contain this nasty chemical, we do not buy soda. My children will sometimes buy it with their allowance, but that is limited as well. As I write we are again revising our soda intake rule. We are phasing out. The sugar addiction of some of my children is over the top. Too much ugar can wreak havoc on a child's brain. For some children (and adults) sugar sensitivity can cause all sorts of mood problems, focus problems, behavior problems, health issues, etc. Anyway, just thought I'd give the heads up about the BVO in Mt. Dew in case you didn't know. :D

 

My dentist freaks over it. :001_smile: He says without a doubt the kids who come in with the most cavities and the worst mouths he's seen have always been dew drinkers.

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Just say NO to Mountain Dew! Mountain Dew, along with many other popular citrus flavored sodas (orange sodas especially) contains a chemical called BVO (Bromated Vegetable Oil) which is a FLAME RETARDANT! It is used to keep the flavor syrup and the other liquids "mixed". As for other sodas which do not contain this nasty chemical, we do not buy soda. My children will sometimes buy it with their allowance, but that is limited as well. As I write we are again revising our soda intake rule. We are phasing out. The sugar addiction of some of my children is over the top. Too much ugar can wreak havoc on a child's brain. For some children (and adults) sugar sensitivity can cause all sorts of mood problems, focus problems, behavior problems, health issues, etc. Anyway, just thought I'd give the heads up about the BVO in Mt. Dew in case you didn't know. :D

 

Gross. My son hasn't ever tried Mountain Dew (he likes Coke and Pepsi, and will occasionally buy it with his own money) but if he ever discovers it and decides he likes it I will let him know. I think that would at least dampen one's enthusiasm for the drink a little.

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My kids have never liked soda--most likely because they haven't been exposed to it very much. I wouldn't want my teen to drink Mountain Dew, but past the age of 15 or so that would need to be their choice. I wouldn't allow them to bring it home as we don't usually have soda in our home. I would talk to them about the reasons we won't have it in our home. But of all the choices they could be making, this is one I wouldn't make a huge deal about it.

 

I've been pretty much horrified by many of the nutritional choices my college student makes. But you know what? I grew up in a home that emphasized healthy eating, and I choose to live on raman and other junky food at college. I got over it. I'm hoping it is just a phase for him. And if it isn't I'm okay with that as well.

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I do not normally buy soda for the house, unless it is pizza night every couple of weeks. My 15yo dd is not crazy about soda, but will have one every now and then when we go out. My 13yo usually gets a Sprite when we go out (he can't have any caffeine due to migraines), and my 12yo likes root beer. It is only an occasional treat, so I don't mind. My 19yo is free to make his own choices.

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