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My boyfriend and his two children have lived with his older parents since his marriage ended about 5 years ago. He has two boys, ages 6 and 8, and their grandparents have always provided the main role in their eating habits. We've been together for a long time and are planning on getting married. I've just recently given up my apartment and moved into the house and have a bigger role in their upbringing than I've had before we were all under one roof. Here's the challenge -- I think they drink way too much soda. But they refuse to drink anything else. And the grandparents just give in. The kids will seriously go thirsty before drinking anything like water or milk. Any suggestions on how to change this pattern? The way I see it, I have two patterns to break -- 1) Weaning the kids off soda and getting them to drink healthy beverages, and 2) Having the grandparents enforce the new rules. It's a delicate situation because they do so much for them and now for me, too, and I don't want to seem like I'm criticizing their decisions when it comes to anything, particularly the children they do so much for. Any ideas?
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~Shannon
"Sugar will poison, Sugar will kill you, Too much of a good thing may be not so sweet" ~Dave Matthews -
My opinion only, but just don't buy soda and have it in the house. When they complain, just laugh and tell them you can't afford to get them new teeth or something like that. Fill the refrigerator up with milk and ice water and if they get thirsty enough they will drink. Don't tell them they can't have it, just don't buy it. You won't beable to do anything about the grandparents, thats probably a losing battle.
41 pounds down and counting
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else. - Yogi Berra -
That's just the thing -- I don't buy it. The grandparents do. When they want something to drink they get it themselves or they ask grandma.
But I think I may have a partial solution -- the kids that I can't get to drink ice water (and the water in this town is delicious, so it's not an issue of not being able to drink tap water) were given bottled water by a neighbor friend of grandma's when they were sitting on the porch gossiping. The kids loved it and the six year old told me how great it was that Jane gave him a bottle of water. I'm going to buy some bottles and try refilling them without letting them know and see if that gets them to drink less soda without costing a fortune in bottled water.~Shannon
"Sugar will poison, Sugar will kill you, Too much of a good thing may be not so sweet" ~Dave MatthewsComment
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Smart!
When is the boys next dental checkup? Do they have them regularly? I ask because the dentist will be your ally if you discuss soda drinking with him. Then you would be in a position to come home and discuss soda, sugar and children with the grandparents, if they hear it as coming from a medical professional they might put more weight in his advice.
They must be nice, relaxed children if the sugar in soda does not make them bounce off the walls and drive the grandparents nuts!
bookst sz 24
cr sz 14-16
gl sz 10
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book, that's some great advice. I don't know when their next checkup is, but I'll enlist my boyfriend's help on this one. He is always having work done on his teeth because he grew up drinking about a 2 liter of mountain dew a day for years, something he regrets (especially the cost of the dental work!) I think by reminding him about his own soda drinking that he may be more persuasive with his parents. I'll try it!~Shannon
"Sugar will poison, Sugar will kill you, Too much of a good thing may be not so sweet" ~Dave MatthewsComment
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When the kids in out neighborhood get soda I give my son Crystal Light watered down w/Soda Water. He loves it & he thinks his soda is better than the theirs!I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once
Started June 1, 2003
Start 229/ Now at 188/ Goal 175
Straight White Male, Married, 56 Years Old looking for........
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That's a good idea, too! Another one I'm going to have to try out.
On a side note, I really love this new forum -- it couldn't have come at a better time for me! I've already gotten so much good advice and ideas! Thanks, guys!~Shannon
"Sugar will poison, Sugar will kill you, Too much of a good thing may be not so sweet" ~Dave MatthewsComment
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the Crystal light idea is a good one, may do that one myself.
And we are very pleased for all of your participation here!
bookst sz 24
cr sz 14-16
gl sz 10
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My kids are not great soda drinkers, but ocassionally they want one. I have a distrust for artifical sweeteners. I would love to be able to give them Crystal light or Diet Rite to drink when ever they want a soda, but I am afraid that it isn't good for them. I'm confused.
urplequ:
252/221/165
(Mini goal of 200 before Christmas)
Started 5/17/04
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