Special occasions, like birthday parties, are those occasions when a sugar containing beverage is fine. I am concerned about diet conscious adults putting children on diets however. An adequate amount of calories and nutrients should be available to growing children to insure brain and physical development. Why not offer other beverage choices to children. In hot weather, offer double diluted fruit juice, just plain cold water are good thirst quenchers or frozen fruit juice cubes.
Taste preference is something that is learned from birth through the age of six.
If sweet foods are offered frequently, a child will be more likely to develop a preference for sweets. Don't give into children's pressure to buy sugar-sweetened beverage all the time. They're good tasting, low calorie candies. Most sugar-free candy, gum and breath mints taste good. Read the label to see which artificial sweetener is an ingredient.