Soda Replacement - Money

When I was a kid, growing up with soda in our lives was rare. It was considered a treat. Even when our grandparents tried to spoil us by taking us out to eat, we would generally choose water, as it didn't cost anything (we didn't want to ask for too much).

Now that I have kids of my own, having soda in the refrigerator is a common sight. It is a part of our grocery list, and a 2 liter rarely lasts a week. I've been getting more worried about how my kids are growing up in today's society, where obesity is growing and growing among kids.

In an effort to curb my son's desire to always get soda when we're out at a restaurant, I came up with a plan that will not only avoid conflict when I tell him "no soda". It is also an idea that will teach him the value of a dollar.

I told him that if he chose to drink water instead of soda, I will pay him the cost of the soda. I'd much rather give him the money instead of the restaurant. He was very interested in this idea. Over the next few months, he willingly chose water over soda...asking me how much it costs for soda each time we were out, and handed out his hand for the money. This makes me happy because he is getting a reward for not drinking "sugar water", and he is healthier for it :)

Over time I'm sure this "trick" will wear off, but my long lasting hopes are that he will naturally choose water over soda. And it is my hope that he realizes that spending money on soda means less money in his pocket when he starts paying for his own meals as an adult :)

I hope you find this a useful tip, as well. Please let me know how it works for you!