Mom Slammed As 'Dramatic' for Trying to Outlaw Sugary Soda at Kid's Party

A mom's dismay at soda being provided at her child's birthday party has been criticized online after she shared a post expressing her thoughts.

The anonymous mom took to the forum Mumsnet to garner other opinions on her situation, asking the age-old internet question of "am I being unreasonable?"

Ahead of her child's birthday party, the mom had bought the diet and caffeine-free versions of popular soda drinks in a bid to avoid added sugars while not making the kids miss out.

"When a parent turns up with 40 cans of sugar loaded drinks and they all run to grab them before i've even noticed or had a chance to offer anything else, it's very annoying," she wrote.

The mom said that the children at the party faced a sugar-induced change and turned into "little vandals" with "tantrums and tummy aches galore."

According to a study released by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics in 2017, almost two-thirds of children in the United States consumed at least one sugary drink on any given day between 2011 and 2014. Around 30 percent consumed two or more per day.

Research has suggested there is a link between a child's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and the availability of them in the home.

Concern around children having these drinks isn't uncalled for either, with links between sugar and artificially sweetened beverages and health issues like type 2 diabetes.

With this situation however, parents were left criticizing the mom for her reaction to the drinks, given it wasn't part of a daily consumption but instead a "one-off."

"Unless your kids go to parties weekly, you are being unreasonable," wrote one user. "The occasional party is exactly when kids should be having sugar and eating a bit of c**p. It's why it's 'sometimes' food. I'd much rather a normal soft drink than something with sugar replacement, they are normally unhealthy."

Others also highlighted the lack of difference between the "sugar-loaded" drinks and those she had purchased as an alternative, writing: "It's a bit like saying you provided vapes for the kids but a parent turned up with nicotine patches. "

"No way was the pop responsible for tummy aches and tantrums. You are being unreasonable and dramatic," added another."

Despite the majority of responses opposing the mom, some simultaneously slammed the other parent for turning up with food without permission.

"Why did a parent bring 40 cans to your party? This is odd and annoying whatever your views on fizzy drinks," noted one user.

"How old are the kids? I've never been to a party for kids under 10 with anything served other than water or weak squash, so you are not being unreasonable to object to fizzy drinks, but you are being unreasonable to give them the diet versions, which are just as bad."