No pop:until 12 yrs.

[Owlie]

I grew up with it as a treat--if we went out to eat (not common until I was 10ish) or for special occasions. I really only drink it now if I need a caffeine boost and don't want to drink coffee. I usually drink water...but Cleveland's water is nasty.

[GLC1968]

When I was a kid, we had it for special occasions. I remember that it was always offered at birthday parties but they always only had Coke and I hated the flavor of cola. I'd always ask for water and my friends parents always seemed surprised by that. My brother drank it though. He's no worse for the wear, either. No weight problem, no teeth problem and he looks easily 10 years younger than he really is. Of course, back then, soda was sweetened with real sugar...none of this fake HFCS crap.

I don't remember ever having soda at home, but I'm sure we did. I just chose not to drink it. We had sugar cereals, tons of candy at Halloween, baked goods out our ears at Christmas... but a meal was not a meal with veggies, so it all balanced out.

[e.e.cummings]

We don't drink soft drinks in our house, and my 9 year old son has never had any (unless he has been to birthday party and had it without my knowledge!) We don't miss it. He drinks lots of 1. water 2. milk 3. juice. Actually the dentist warned about drinking too much juice during school hours when he did not have the opportunity to brush his teeth, and he went off juice for a while! Lots of milk then. Boy did he grow.

[PamNY]

Interrupting this discussion to post what I think is a wonderful story from The Onion.

Pam

[lph]

Interrupting this discussion to post what I think is a wonderful story from The Onion.

Pam

love it

[shootingstar]

Interrupting this discussion to post what I think is a wonderful story from The Onion.

Pam

If no marketing, then looks like the parents /adult fans have to spread the good word. Interesting! It's like making baking soda or Xerox machine part of one's life/living...either you like/use it or not.

[Trek420]

If no marketing, then looks like the parents /adult fans have to spread the good word. Interesting! It's like making baking soda or Xerox machine part of one's life/living...either you like/use it or not.

Not likely to happen, the Onion being of course being entirely a humor/parody magazine. The cola/culture wars continue.

We did not have pop at home or rarely did. I knew this was different than other families and there may have been times I felt ... not deprived that's not the word I'm looking for not sure what the right term would be .... just different.

This was 50's-60's I was not bombarded with "everyone must eat fast food all the time and this kind".

My parents were farmers till huge agribusiness made it even more difficult to sustain a small farm. They sold most of the property and both got jobs in town. Even with two parents working full time, three kids, they maintained an astounding garden on the land they kept.

We ate real well.

The joke was if they'd have kept a few chickens, a sheep or two, maybe a cow .... we'd be self sufficient we ate hardly any "junk". Neither of them were "preachy" about eating natural. My sibling Duck on Wheels may have more input on this, it could be because my Dad's degree in chemistry maybe he knew/thought that a more natural diet could be better. My Mom has very strong opinions about genetic modification of food and because beets and therefore beet sugar are often modified she avoids sugar unless it's the natural stuff.

Since she's active, still gardens, able to live independently at 87 ... maybe she's on to something. She credits a philosophy of "keep moving" so maybe you can drink Pepsi, eat chips and ride your bike But we ate fresh, local from the start and I don't crave cola at all.

I like Blue Sky http://drinkbluesky.com/products/index.php?cat=2 but not enough to keep it around.

[GrassyRidge]

My son gets the occasional sip of soda, but at 6 I don't think he's ever really had his own glass. I don't keep much at home and he likes milk and water thank goodness. Sadly I don't cook much and we eat out a lot with my parents. My son thinks kids meals at sit down restaurants come with milk and broccoli!

[Owlie]

The other time I drink pop is if I'm sick and don't have much of an appetite. And then, it's just a glass of Sprite (or maybe cream soda, depending on how I'm feeling) alternated with water.