Order them a margarita. There is no soda in that.

I started sucking down Cokes when my grandparents would let me. I went on to attend an an Ivy and, at 40 I have a 32 waist (I'm a guy).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a policy and never have. We have soda in the house. Kids can help themselves to whenever they want. They also have free reign over the candy, cookies, and pop tarts that are in the house.

Somedays my kids crave the sugar and others they don't want it. I let them decide and they're learning to listen to their bodies.

How old are your kids? My parents had a similar policy when we were teens and it was fine, but I can't imagine letting my 4 and 6 year old have free reign!

My kids are now 6 and 9 but our household has always been like this. This morning I had to go get milk so I picked up donuts. One ate half and the other wanted a hard boiled egg. They may come back for them later.

Anonymous wrote:There is not one ounce of nutritional benefit to drinking soda. Why would you give it to your kid. My DD went on a playdate and the mom gave it to my child. Thankfully she hated it!

So you never ever let your kid have candy or cake? ??

What restaurant only has soda?

Regardless, no policy. If they ask for it, they could probably have it if they haven't had any other treats in a while. They have never asked for it, though.

Anonymous wrote:Enough with the policies!

How will we judge each other if posters don't write several sentences on these mundane things?

My kids don't get soda. They can have water, milk or juice.

I don't judge much but I totally judge elementary kids who drink soda constantly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you let your kids drink soft drinks/soda pop? If so, starting at what age? If it were totally up to me, I would never let my kids have them, but sometimes we go to restaurants and that's all they serve.

No, all restaurants serve water and this is what my kids always order. Sometimes unsweetened ice tea.

I have yet to find a sit down restaurant that doesn't have milk. If they don't have it on the menu, ask if they have it. If nothing else, they have it at the bar.

If we are at a party and the host is offering soda, they can have some. We used to drink a ton until a year and a half ago. I stopped drinking it - having the kids ask for sips help spur me along. It has ZERO nutritional value, and I just don't want them in the habit of drinking it every day. I do make lemonade and sweet tea at home - I can control the sugar. I am fine with them having sips of my tea if they ask.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a policy and never have. We have soda in the house. Kids can help themselves to whenever they want. They also have free reign over the candy, cookies, and pop tarts that are in the house.

Somedays my kids crave the sugar and others they don't want it. I let them decide and they're learning to listen to their bodies.

How old are your kids? My parents had a similar policy when we were teens and it was fine, but I can't imagine letting my 4 and 6 year old have free reign!

Anonymous wrote:For those saying no soda, but who allow lemonade at restaurants, I am genuinely curious -- isn't most lemonade just as bad as soda? Often it is not even made with real lemons, right, but is just another processed sugar drink?

It's the same. People are just pretending it isn't. Same with fruit punch, many juices, etc.

Thin shouldn't be the goal here. Thin doesn't mean they are healthy eaters. It just means they are thin. Soda has no nutritional benefit at all. Zero. It should be seen as a treat. Not a thirst quencher.

Anonymous wrote:Do you let your kids drink soft drinks/soda pop? If so, starting at what age? If it were totally up to me, I would never let my kids have them, but sometimes we go to restaurants and that's all they serve.

No, all restaurants serve water and this is what my kids always order. Sometimes unsweetened ice tea.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a policy and never have. We have soda in the house. Kids can help themselves to whenever they want. They also have free reign over the candy, cookies, and pop tarts that are in the house.

Somedays my kids crave the sugar and others they don't want it. I let them decide and they're learning to listen to their bodies.

This is close to our habits.

My kids are all skinny.

Same. Five kids. Four grown and out of the house. All five are thin, athletic, and healthy. I think we've had a total of four fillings between the five kids over 27 years. When they were all at home, I really tried to enforce a one soda a day rule until they were older teens. They learned to self-moderate. They were involved in sports, so that helped.

I've seen what happens when parents are strict about candy and junk food - Those are the kids that try to clean out my fridge when they are at our house.

Our 7 yo sometimes gets a small amount (nowhere near a full cup or can) when we go camping or have a cookout at home. I don't think he's ever had a full cup of a soft drink. In restaurants, he drinks water. If a drink is included with his meal, he gets milk or juice. Our 2.5 yo has, unfortunately, had sips and a teeny amount in a cup on a few occasions as well. We don't have an official "policy," though.

Yes, she can have some each year at her birthday party. She's 13.5 now and doesn't much like soda. In her entire life she's asked for soda exactly once on a day when it wasn't her birthday party day.