Do you allow your children to drink pop/soda?

[Desert Rat]

I can't remember what age I started allowing pop. Maybe 5? But, it was half a can of root beer with pizza once a night. When they were 8 or so, they could have one can of pop each. No caffeine until 12. And they still have only 1 or 2 cans a week.

[Mnemosyne]

Mine are too small, but I'll allow it when they get older.

 

We get only the more natural sodas in the house though... real sugar, minimal additives, etc. They taste better and aren't quite as bad for you.

 

It definitely will be only a treat, though. Soda isn't a regular thing in this house - for any of us - as it is.

[lil' maids in a row]

I voted other.

 

We never buy or serve soda, so our children generally don't drink it. However, it's not that they aren't allowed to drink it. When soda is being served in social setting, then they are certainly free to drink it if they want to. We just don't keep it in our own home as a lifestyle choice. They have all tried it and they all claim the carbonation burns their mouth.

 

 

:thumbup1: yep, this is us exactly. So, far they all dislike soda because of the sting from the carbonation.

[I.Dup.]

My oldest has had soda *maybe* 10 times total? She is 11 y/o. My others have tried a sip here or there, certainly nothing regular.

 

ETA: My littler ones call it "spicy" lol

[Pamela H in Texas]

I drank very little as a kid so figure my kids should also. I'm concerned about their health, teeth, etc so water is the way to go. However, once in awhile isn't going to kill them. If we go to a party or are just feel like it has been such a long while, why not? I may give it to them. I would guess my adopted kids (been living with us almost two years) have had soda 4-5 times since moving in with us. The baby did have it much more than that because when she was sick in September, we'd try ANYTHING to get ANYHTING in her and she'd try for soda (though she often spit it out or wouldn't take more than a sip because she was so sick).

[Kathryn]

Older son was allergic to corn, so soda was a very expensive and rare treat until he outgrew that allergy. He would choose it over anything now. Younger son has been allowed to have it since he was 2, but he doesn't want to. He cries for water if someone gives him soda.

 

I grew up with soda only when eating out. The only time we bough tit for the house was my birthday party. I drink water 99% of the time. DH grew up with drinking only soda and he still does. He drinks more than 2 liters a day.

[Joani]

Yes, but the younger kids have it very rarely, just because we don't buy it.

[skeeterbug]

Other. Just for special occasions. It's not something we buy regularly or keep in the house. I always have their water bottles with me, so if we eat out they usually just have that. Sometimes we get some when we order pizza. Soda is a treat, but I'm sure they'd drink it every day if they were allowed to!

[Joker]

 

I grew up with soda only when eating out. The only time we bough tit for the house was my birthday party. I drink water 99% of the time. DH grew up with drinking only soda and he still does. He drinks more than 2 liters a day.

 

 

It's the opposite here. I grew up drinking it whenever I wanted and it was always in the house. I rarely drink any now. Dh grew up with it never in the house and only getting it as a rare treat. He drinks it like water.

 

Everybody is different. I want my dds to self regulate. Older is now very good at it and younger still needs a little help. All in all they do very well though.

[LG Gone Wild]

No except on special holidays. Sodas are terrible including all the diet ones. I would rather they eat chocolate cake.

[Jenn121]

We don't have soda in the house because I have a Diet Pepsi problem. :scared: I occasionally buy one (20 oz) when I am out but if it is in the house I will drink it all. In college I drank upwards of 2-4 two liter a day and still slept all night.

 

Both daughters have had sips because they were curious but neither likes the carbonation so allowing is not an issue but if that changes it would have to be for a special occasion or out of their own money.

 

Jenn

[stansclan89]

Yes, I've always allowed them to drink pop--But we don't have it in the house so it is a treat to have when we eat out (which is...maybe once every two months for the kids).

[Guest mandala10407]

We don't buy sodas for the house but if we are out at a sit down restaurant they can have a soda if they want.

[LaMere Academy]

I let them for special occasions liike a bbq or a party. It's still the same except my older children will have it when they're out. I don't buy it unless we are having a gathering. I gave up soda myself last year, but I will occasionally have it when I'm eating out.

[justamouse]

Seltzer, water, milk. That's about it.

 

Now, I allow Coffee as soon asn they ask for it and they're always welcome to have tea, iced is unsweetned, of course.

[Sahamamama]

I voted that they don't drink soda at all, but none of us do. We never buy soda, we never drink soda, we don't really even think about soda. ;) I think the girls know what it is, though. I'm not sure, now that I think of it. No one we know "does" soda.

 

Now, coffee, that's another story. :) Yes, they drink coffee. Little sips, lots of cream, no sugar. It's good for you.

[Stayseeliz]

I let my kids have one glass when we are at a party or out to eat and only sprite. We don't buy it and have it at home. My toddler does not drunk it ever.

[SKL]

I said "no," but on special occasions I do allow it. I don't buy it myself and therefore I have no difficulty keeping it from my kids under normal circumstances. Their aunt does sneak them a sip here and there on Sundays, but I can live with that.

 

When I was a kid, my siblings and I were allowed to share one bottle on Friday evenings.

[Melissa in Australia]

Other.

It is not that I don't allow it, I just don't buy it. So their intake is extremely limited.

[Skadi]

One of my earliest memories is of my mother putting coke in my baby bottle. I was too old for a bottle at the time, but my younger sister still had one and I guess sometimes they let me have them or something? My mom corroberates the story, so I know that they transitioned from formula to Coca Cola. I can't ever remember just drinking water at home. Ever.

 

We are extremely opposed to giving our kids soda. It would be like asking, "Do you allow your kids to drink beer? If so, how many a day?" See, I'm not a prohibitionist. I don't think there's anything wrong with adults drinking alcohol. But kids? No. Maybe a couple sips of wine at Christmas, but not an everyday thing. I deny my children soda for the same reason I deny them alcohol--because I do not want to raise addicts. And in my mind, the damage soda does to one's brain, teeth, kidneys, blood sugar, and weight are more dangerous than some illegal drugs. Certainly moreso than marijuana.

 

Speaking of Mary Jane, if it weren't so expensive, I'd probably feed kids marijuana brownies everyday just to get them to chill out. :D

[Dory]

My kids were never given pop until they went to school. They were so unused to it that the carbonation was too much. My oldest will sometimes have half an orange crush at a party now but he isn't hugely fond of any pop. I do think my youngest will be a pop drinker though. I have a HUGE Pepsi addiction. My mom gave me Pepsi for my tea parties when I was little. Knowing what pop does to me, I wasn't about to make it something special in my home. My oldest ds has even expressed his concern over my drinking Pepsi.

[OrganicAnn]

Soda for us is rare but not forbidden. So occasionally my DD gets a Sprite, 7up or Root Beer, but it is most likely only 2 or 3 times a year. All other times it is water, milk and to a lesser extent juice.

[mommymilkies]

Everybody is different. I want my dds to self regulate. Older is now very good at it and younger still needs a little help. All in all they do very well though.

 

I was only allowed to have it rarely, but I drank it daily in high school because that's what was around at school & friends. It kills my stomach, so I only have it very rarely now (3-4 times a year tops). Dh was raised with only sweet tea or pop in the house and ended up diabetic drinking a 12 pack of diet Pepsi almost daily. It took him YEARS to cut it out and he almost never gets one if we're out now. He definitely never learned to self-regulate!

 

Of course I'm also the mean mom who almost never has juice in the house, either. Herbal tea or water is about all I offer (milk for kids who tolerate it). I largely feel it is poison, so I'm not one of those great hostesses who keeps pop around on hand for guests. ;)

[Lisbeth]

Big no. Soda is wildly unhealthy, so I never wanted them to develop the habit. I mean, why even go down that road? Especially under the teen years, when tastes are being acquired. Just - no.

[Ailey]

At birthday parties and restaurants, ds drinks diet root beer. He's diabetic and very conscious of what other kids can have that he can't, so letting him drink the occasional can of pop is worth it to us. The younger kids have only had sips so far.

[violamama]

Not really.

Very occasionally they get a "sugar drink". They know it's a treat and it's as rare as other sugar junk.

 

Our dentist told us that sugary drinks are worse for dental health than even sugary foods- something about the way it coats every surface and the ratio of saliva something yada yada.

 

But I said no (in general) to these things before the dentist, just because they're junk and I'm trying to teach them to care for their bodies. I try not to be too militant about these things, since the ultimate goal is control rather than cowering in fear. I myself tend to be an all or nothing eater, and I'd love for them to be more sophisticated than that.

[Runningmom80]

I offer it to them at parties, but the don't like the carbonation. We don't have it at home.

[Lizzie in Ma]

On special occasions we will have soda in the house, other than that, no.

[Matryoshka]

I voted other.

 

We never buy or serve soda, so our children generally don't drink it. However, it's not that they aren't allowed to drink it. When soda is being served in social setting, then they are certainly free to drink it if they want to. We just don't keep it in our own home as a lifestyle choice. They have all tried it and they all claim the carbonation burns their mouth.

 

 

This. Neither dh or I grew up on soda either, so we never developed a taste for it. It really is an acquired taste. Because we've never had it in the house, my kids never developed a taste for it either. They're welcome to have some if they're somewhere else at a party or something, but since they don't have a taste for it, they usually don't even choose it if there are other options. At a restaurant, if the drink is included (like in a kids' meal) they get milk or juice; otherwise it's water.

 

Only one of my dds doesn't hate carbonation, but for a fizzy treat she'd rather have sparkling water or sometimes an Izzy (natural) soda. I still don't buy either to have in the house, so those are very occasional.

[JenC3]

No. They've had a natural microbrewed rootbeer, but that was a Major treat. When they get a drink at a restaurant, i sometimes let them get lemonade.

[butterflymommy]

Never have and never will. But the few times they've tasted it when desperately thirsty (outside the house) they hated it, so it's no big deal.

[skimomma]

Nope. It is the one food-like thing I actually forbid. The HFCS is the final straw with soda in general. I also never buy juice for the house but dd may have 100% juice (no HFCS) when out or at a party, but that is very rare. I also am OK with an occasional draft rootbeer or one of those natural sparkling waters with a little fruit juice mixed in. Dd is 9 and we have talked about it together. She also is prone to dental decay so her dentist has also instructed her to stay away from sugary drinks in general. She knows why we don't allow it and is fine with it. She is allowed to have coffee and wine in small quantities whenever it is being served and she asks.

[Hwin]

It was around five and at a party, and it was only to prove that I wasn't an overprotective mom. Which I am.

[blessed3x]

I voted other.

 

We never buy or serve soda, so our children generally don't drink it. However, it's not that they aren't allowed to drink it. When soda is being served in social setting, then they are certainly free to drink it if they want to. We just don't keep it in our own home as a lifestyle choice. They have all tried it and they all claim the carbonation burns their mouth.

 

 

This. But when ds10 does have a soda it is usually Sprite/7Up or Root Beer so he does not get the caffeine. In our home, we all drink water.

[Firefly]

I voted other. We don't keep it in the house (except for real ginger ginger ale for stomach upsets). We didn't allow it at all when they were little, but once they got to a certain age -I think it was around 8 or so- if we were someplace that served soda (restaurant, party, weddings etc) we would let them have some, as long as it wasn't diet. Now they are teens and for birthdays etc. I'll get soda as a special treat, but I get the cane sugar variety.

[amy g.]

I voted other. I've never bought it for them, but i never forbade it. So technically they are allowed.

 

When we go to a restaurant, I might ask, "Do you want a Spite?" But they always order water or unsweetened tea instead.

 

I wonder if they just never aquired a taste for it. Now coffee on the other hand.....

[dm379]

I allow it and we always have it in the house. I was forbidden from it when I was growing up and am completely addicted to it now. I've tried many times to quit but always go back after a year or so. They can have it if they ask for it but that's usually only about once a week and they have to share since they usually take 2 or 3 sips and throw the rest away. I just started forbidding it when we go out because $2.50 for the few sips they drink is ridiculous.

[Gisel_le]

I voted other because mine get to drink soda only on special occasions, like birthdays. :)

[Hoot]

DS doesn't drink it at home unless it is a special occasion. Even then he'll drink two sips and ask for water. When we go out to eat I'll allow him to get soda but more often than not he would rather have lemonade.

[Guest]

I'm voting other because I will let them on special occasions, but not regularly.

[Truscifi]

I would allow ds9 to have it as a treat on rare occasions, but he doesn't like it. Lucky me!

[peachskittles]

We have it in the house most of the time, they never ask for it at home. They drink water most of the time, very limited amounts of milk due to dairy problems and very little juice. My 5 year old takes small sips of my pop at random times. *shrug* I grew up with pop, struggled with it for awhile drinking too much and now am back to be more regulated. It didn't cause me to be obese or to have cavities. It didn't even train me to acquire a taste for it because I can take it or leave it. So, if my kids decided they wanted some, sure, have at it in moderation. When they actually get pop, they prefer for it to be watered down, just like their juice.

[Mommy22alyns]

They definitely did not have it when they were younger! They'll have some if we're out to eat and once in a while at home they'll share a can of root beer. It's not a regular thing.

[kewb]

I voted other. It was not allowed as a special treat until 6 or 7. I don't buy soda unless we are having a party so it is not part of our daily lives. They know that at a party they can have a can or glass or two. They also know that it is preferred that they stick to clear soda-sprite, ginger ale, or 8-up because colored cola has been linked to kidney issues and kidney cancer runs on dh's side of the family.

[Embassy]

They usually have it about 1-2 times per month. Usually that is the non-caffeine variety as well.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I voted that I allowed after a certain age. But, they RARELY have pop. Once or twice a month as a treat - like a root beer float (made with soda made with cane sugar) or when we are out at a party or at a restaurant. At home, they drink water or rice milk. In the summer, I make home-made lemonade so I can control the sugar.

[freeindeed]

I let my dc start drinking sodas when they turned four, but even now it's allowed for special occasions only.

 

[caitlinsmom]

I didn't allow it when they were little (under 5) because I am the parent and in charge of their health. I figure it was up to me to make the responsible decision since they didn't have the knowledge to do so. We let them know why we don't buy it and the health issues associated with it (obviously the language was appropriate to their level).

 

My kids never choose it because it's to "spicy" for them. They don't enjoy it and don't have an interest in drinking it. At friends homes or parties they just ask for water, juice or milk, whatever else is offered.

 

I'm glad we choose to not only restrict the amounts at younger ages but also talk with them about the why's. We do this with all things health related. The kids will still pig out on smores or candy once or twice a year but for the most part they know how to self regulate and choose healthier options.

[PachiSusan]

Where's my 13% buddies?? Out drinking down a six pack of Pepsi in the tool shed?? :drool5:

[PeacefulChaos]

I voted yes, but not until a certain age .... but at the same time, I could have easily voted 'other'. We don't buy soda or keep it at home, so the only time the kids can get any is when they are either at someone else's house (rare that any of them have soda, either) or when we go out to eat - when we go out I let them order whatever they want to drink. That started around 3, but usually at that age they still order milk. I think my oldest didn't start drinking soda 'regularly' when we went out until he was around 6, and the younger was around 5. Pink still wants chocolate milk everywhere, and if they don't have that I usually just order her pink lemonade or something.

I really don't think soda is a big deal now and then. It's not a battle I feel is worth fighting, especially since our only chance for it is once every few weeks.