Do I say anything to the mom??

Question

I have a daycare in my home and I have a 10month old in my care. Well the mom doesn't want her drinking water only juice because she feels water is empty calories. She sometimes comes with a 10 oz sippy of juice and told me for meals to give her juice not water. I know a baby of her age should only get max 4 oz of juice per day (diluted). I have tried to hint saying that I give the other children water with both snacks I serve and milk (which she obviously can't have yet) for breakfast and lunch but she says no the juice is fine. She even told me she was excited because her daughter now can drink out of a straw so she gave her her first juice box. I was appalled. Should I say something or just stay out of it?

Answer 1

Are you not supposed to look out for the best interest of the children in your care??? Explaining that while the child is in your care, you need to follow certain health guidelines might help her see what she is doing can harm her child. Explain what the sugars can do to her childs teeth!

Answer 2

Yeah, sounds like this woman really doesn't know, so I think if you politely talk to her it would be okay. Water of course is not "empty calories" -- it's no calories, and good for you! You might just say you're surprised that her pediatrician has okayed so much juice, since most of the kids you've cared for have been told to have no more than 4 ounces a day and to otherwise stick with breast milk, formula, or water. You may say that you've heard that juice isn't a particularly healthy choice for little kids since it's high in sugar and calories and is missing some of the nutrients of whole fruit. You could also innocently ask if she could bring a toothbrush for her child so you don't have to worry about cavities from the juice.

Of course, maybe the juice is already diluted in the sippy cup the mom brings, in which case it may be only 4 ounces or just a little more mixed with water. In that case, it's probably not a big deal, especially if the child's weight is normal.

At any rate, once you've said something and the mom is informed, let her choose what to do about it. Unless there's a weight issue, which presumably her doctor will take care of, it's not optimal but neither is it like she's drinking poison or anything. If it really bothers you, at the beginning of your next year of daycare you might set rules about allowed beverages (you could say you don't allow juice because then all the kids want it and some parents are trying to keep their kids on healthier choices).

Answer 3

Yes, I would bring it up. Water isn't empty calories (it's actually zero calories), it's essential to the body. The empty calories are actually in the juice, which is why babies should have no more than 4 oz. In addition for it being WAY too much sugar (even if it doesn't have added sugar, it's still loaded with natural sugar), it's going to fill her up on empty calories that she could be taking in through healthier food. What I would do is put together a memo to send to ALL the parents, with information from the AAP about what each child should be getting in terms of nutrition for each age. Inform them that anything they send must meet those guidelines, because you want to avoid the children getting sick and having behavior problems while they're in your care. Schools do it all the time by making no candy/soda rules, so I see no reason why you can't. That way, you can enforce the rule without offending her or singling her out. What she does at home is her business, but with any luck, she'll realize how wrong she is about her daughter's nutritional needs and change her eating habits. If not, at least you'll know the little girl is eating properly in your care.

Answer 4

I would talk to her definitely. This is surely unhealthy. I would have some kind of medical information handy too. Like maybe a packet of information rearging children ONLY drinking juice. (Im the opposite, my daughter is 16 mos and can ONLY have water or milk, juice is not necessary if children eat plenty of real fruit) If she fails to respond or insists that her child still only has juice, I would just give the child lots of water during the day and juice when the mom arrives to pick her up! How will she know? The child won't tell her :-) Seriously, I would give that child water.

Answer 5

You need to tell her that juice is good for the baby (and at 10 months she can have more than 4 ozs diluted even though they don't recommend it) but the BIGGEST problem with juice is the sugar. Does this baby not still drink formula? Suggest that she drink sugarfree koolaid. My daughter WON'T drink water, so in order for her to have her water intake for the day I give her sugarfree koolaid except with breakfast and supper (sensitive tummy can only hold about 8-12 ozs of Silk per day). You need to stand up and say something. What I would suggest.....search on the internet and find a few (I'd say three) reliable websites (even though we all know the truth) where it not only talks about limiting juice intake but also how much sugar, even though it's natural, juice has. Print these articles out and give them to mom one day when she picks the kid up. The worst that could happen is you loose her business, and if that won't hurt you, I'd do what I could to get this mom to see what's really going on.

Answer 6

Ack! She's a crazy woman. Water is empty calories?

Water is ZERO calories, and necessary for survival, and juice is loaded with natural and/or added sugars and IS empty calories...with a few vitamins thrown in.

You set the rules for your house, so you can always gently tell her that as a rule, you do not give the children juice all day, but water instead, if they're thirsty.

10 mo old babies should not be drinking juice like that...if she's thirsty, it should be formula, or water if she's finished off the formula...good luck!

That mommy needs a lessen in nutrition, that's for sure.

Answer 7

Well, if it were me, I would make one attempt at telling her she's wrong, but doing it very tactfully and carefully. For example, I assume there's some sort of authority over your daycare that dictates what is appropriate for the baby to eat. You could use that as a reference, or find an article from a respected source that is appropriate. Just tell her you think she has been misinformed, and that if she wants you to give her more than 4oz of juice in a day, you'd be happy to if she can provide a note from her doctor that it is okay to do that. Say that you don't want to be liable for any health complications as a result of feeding her improperly and you need the legal ok to do it. Then, she'll either talk to her doctor and get properly educated, or she fake a note, or she'll get mad and use someone else. But you will be guilt-free and not liable.

Answer 8

Well, Mom doesn't always know best, but she is Mom, and you do have to respect her wishes when it comes to the care of her child. As a mom, I would rather that it was talked about, even if we didn't agree, because it lets me know that you are interested in the health and wellbeing of my child and communicating with me because we are a team in raising her. If she still wants her to have the juice - then fine, either decide to be okay with giving it to her, or ask her to find another care provider that is comfortable with that.

That said, I think that there is nothing wrong with educating parents about proper nutrition. Perhaps a handout or newsletter that went home with everyone would help her to not feel singled out? I'm sure that there are many similar topics that would be appropriate to address on a regular basis as well as sharing what the kids are up to that month. Dr. Sears has some great articles on his website - here's one about juice:http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T031400.asp

Answer 9

i WOULD DO WHAT THE MOTHER WANTS, AS TO SOME DEGREE THIS ISN;T YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, OF COURSE, IT WOULDN;T HURT FOR YOU TO GIVE HER A FEW OUNCES OF WATER A DAY, I WOULDN;T AS THIS SHE PRETTY MUCH STATED NO WATER, THIS ISN;T FOOD, MEDICAITON, OR ANYTHING LIFETHREATENING, IT SHOULDNT BE SUCH A BIG DEAL TO THE MOTHER IF YOU KEEP PRESSURING THE MOTHER SHE WILL PROBABLY REMOVE HER CHILD FROM YOUR HOME, I DON;T KNOW HOW WELL YOU KNOW HER, BUT MAYBE YOU COULD SHOW HER SOME LITERATURE ON HOW TOO MUCH JUICE ISN;T HEALTHY, CONTAINS SUGAR, AND BABIES ACTUALLY NEED WATER,NOT ALOT CAUSE AT THAT AGE YOU DON;T WANT THEM FILLING UP ON WATER, AND NOT EATING THEIR FOOD, BUT I DO THINK SHE IS A LITTLE MISINFORMED ON THE EMPTY CALORIE THING, I MEAN YOU DON;T WANT TOO MUCH WATER AS THEY WON;T EAT THEIR FOOD, BUT SHE SHOULD BE DRINKING A LITTLE WATER EACH DAY, THE MOTHER SPECIFICALLY SAID NO WATER SO MOSTLY I WOULD DO WHAT SHE SAYS, AND TRY TO SHOW HER LITERARY PROOF FROM REPUTEABLE DR'S OR LITERATURE TO LET HER KNOW THAT TOO MUCH JUICE ISN;T GOOD FOR THEIR TEETH EITHER EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ANY YET. THAT IS ALL YOU CAN DO, TRY NOT TO PUSH TOO HARD AS MOST MOTHERS DON'T LIKE TO BE TOLD., THAT IS WHY I SUGGEST LITERATURE, THAT WAY YOU AREN;T JUDGING HER PARENTING SKILLS, YOU ARE JUST SHOWING HER SOME FACTS YOU FOUND, ANDTHATJUICE ISN;T BAD, JUST THAT BABIES NEED A BIT OF WATER, AND JUICE ALWAYS ISN;T THE BEST THING, AND ITS HEALTHY TO START DRINKING A BIT OF WATER TO HYDRATE THE KIDS. HOPE THIS HELPS

Answer 10

Print her out reports from various health conscious websites, that show how much juice is too much,

Explain to her that to keep your in- home daycare license , you get random inspections, where they will want to see what and how much you are feeding the children. You will be at fault , not the mother as she is not there.


And while your at it, print out so information on the benefits of water . They are numerous , and for most people the only way to believe something , is to see it for themselves. ( also include the fact that it contains NO calories.... though I'm not sure who in the hell doesnt know that)

Answer 11

I also say it would be best just to 'stay out of it'. When it comes to parenting, moms take it personal the most..I know from experience..you tell me what i should and shouldn't do with my kid, and i'm automatically on the defensive. Maybe the child gets water at home? Maybe there is a deeper reason why? I know my 1 ½ year old didn't start drinking water until after he turned 1. He just didn't like it. He LOVES it now..and my 6 year old prefers water over most everything. Not to offend, but I would just let it go.