Sweets

lukafoo74

I feel like I am opening a can of worms, but what is your policy on sweets? We allow our son to have a couple sweets a week, like a small, small piece of chocolate or a couple bites of ice cream. He eats his veggies and fruits and stuff, just wondering if it is old school to allow sweets. He is 13 months. We started allowing him to have sweets at like 11 1/2 months.

lynsef

I was more strict with DD, but when DS sees her having a cookie or something I felt bad not giving him one so he had sweets a little earlier than she did.  I started with DD around 11-12 months, but with DS maybe 10 months.  Around the holidays its hard because there are more sweets around (we just had cookie day with MIL and SIL and have a million cookies).  So I don't offer, but if they ask they are allowed one cookie/candy after they eat lunch or dinner.  It's not daily, but close to it right now.  Outside of holiday season a couple times/week.

DawnJM25

If I'm eating a cookie or a dish of ice cream, I let DD have a couple of bites.  I don't like to eat treats in front of her and not let her have some, too.  I only give her a couple of bites, though- she's not ready for a whole cookie or whatever- not ready to see what a major sugar high will do to her!

 

 

sugarbear0524

I really limit sugar. If he gets anything, it's usually frozen yogurt or ice cream. No candy.  My MIL has given him probably 75% of what he's had. If I'm there, she will usually ask before giving it to him. It's hard to know when to say yes and when to say no. I don't want to be a grinch, but I want to form good habits. I also classify things as a treat that my MIL doesn't, like smoothies, milkshakes, etc. She doesn't really read labels ( like looking at various types of yogurt to give him based on how much sugar they have). She lives in our neighborhood, so DS is with her quite a bit.

chardonnay24

I don't really have a policy. We started allowing sweets after about 12 months but very occasionally. Now he gets a small bit of dessert about once a week at family dinners, birthday parties, or special events. He does not drink juice or soda and eats healthy meals and snacks, so I'm okay with a little bit of refined sugar every so often. 

preggersin2011

I've big on the first 1000 days of life setting them up for the rest of their days. LO had fresh whipped cream on her birthday and shes stolen a lick or two of peanut butter froyo (my weakness from tcby) when i wasn't looking. I allow her to have kix and graham crackers at school and even that is a stretch for me, so are the cheese itz at her age. I won't allow her to eat the yogurt, fruit bars, or other processed table food at dc because they all have sugar as an ingredient or come from artificial ingredients. (Red die 40 & 41 are not in her diet either)

BabyBoyNYC

i do have my stash of junk food in the house (doritos and hershey's) but i have never given him straight up chocolate before, more so for the fact that he has become a demon when it comes time to brush his teeth. But if I have cookie or something I always let him have a chunk of it. I also give him some watered down juice with lunch. idk i really don't think much of it, we eat pretty healthy but also like to have treats so as he gets older i won't deny him sweets, just try to aim for a balanced diet

Netty_3

We don't really give him sweets beyond PB or a graham cracker.  Although on occasion we might give him a few bites of ice cream or something if we're having it.  this past weekend I gave him a small sugar cookie without the icing...it's Christmas.  It's not an everyday thing, and I really try not to give him anything...but every once in a while it's a nice treat.

Leap08

DD2 has bites of ice cream when we're eating it, and cookies here and there. She probably has something sweet once a week. I can't remember when we started giving her bites. 10-11 months? DD1 definitely eats more sweets. It's hard to limit her to once a day, especially right now. We have so many Christmas goodies around. 

TiffanyBerry

I was pretty strict on sweets until this Halloween (she was nearly 2.5yrs).  Now, she can have one piece of candy a day (which is usually a small, halloween sized bag of fruit-juice sweetened gummi bears, but sometimes is a larger scoop of ice cream than I would have given her, courtesy of daddy). This is after dinner, at dessert time (6:45pm - we found a consistent time was more helpful than not having one in getting her to stop asking for it!).  Sometimes, however, it's just fruit for dessert, which she eats all day long too.

There are some other occasions, particularly around parties and the holidays, but I still try to limit it to one a day for the most part.

nyki06

DawnJM25:

If I'm eating a cookie or a dish of ice cream, I let DD have a couple of bites.  I don't like to eat treats in front of her and not let her have some, too.  I only give her a couple of bites, though- she's not ready for a whole cookie or whatever- not ready to see what a major sugar high will do to her!

 

 

This. My daughter is.... 21 months and I let her "share" with me but I don't give her her own treat.  

dairygirl19

Everything in moderation.

I was more strict about it when LO was younger but it was moreso she was still learning to eat and I wanted her to have  a "taste" for the healthy stuff first.

Now at 18 months she's a good solid eater who likes most things so I've laxed a bit. She gets a full on treat a couple times a week and something that's not the best or the worst every day-ish or so.

I'm a big beliver in I'd rather have my kid know what treats are and in moderation than go all out health police and they binge their way through birthday parties and whatever down the line.

Grandma treats and holidays have always been exempted. I was never one to get too worked about about a finger full of frosting or a sip of juice on rare occassions.

And obviously common sense and all that jazz. No treats before healthy food etc. 1 cookie not the whole box.

lana22

dairygirl19:

Everything in moderation.

I was more strict about it when LO was younger but it was moreso she was still learning to eat and I wanted her to have  a "taste" for the healthy stuff first.

Now at 18 months she's a good solid eater who likes most things so I've laxed a bit. She gets a full on treat a couple times a week and something that's not the best or the worst every day-ish or so.

I'm a big beliver in I'd rather have my kid know what treats are and in moderation than go all out health police and they binge their way through birthday parties and whatever down the line.

Grandma treats and holidays have always been exempted. I was never one to get too worked about about a finger full of frosting or a sip of juice on rare occassions.

And obviously common sense and all that jazz. No treats before healthy food etc. 1 cookie not the whole box.

this is my philosophy. my son is 13 months and his big treats have been plain pancakes and a whole wheat pumpkin muffin. i tried giving him carrot cake at his bday party but he wanted nothing to do with it. i will eventually let him have some chocolate and sugary snacks, but will try to avoid high fructose corn syrup as long as possible.

lukafoo74

Thanks good to know. My SIL doesn't let her kids have any sweets and they are 4 and 9, I just thought it seemed a little strict and I was just wondering what people do for the little guys.  I don't know why I think sweets are better than eating like french fries or Doritos. I try to pick higher quality sweets, like less processed sweets.

luvmyducks

She doesn't get much--I've never given her straight up candy.  But she has had a couple bites of cookie here and there or a spoonful of ice cream here and there.  Of course at her birthday she had a lot.  I would say maaaaybe once a month?

kjc03

I would be more concerned about feeding your child hydrogenated oils. They are everywhere and are trans fat with a coded name to fool people into reading a label that says trans fat free and eating it.  

catahoulatte

I know I'm stricter than most (my parents call it 'uptight'), but I'm really anal with what DS eats. He did get some of a cupcake on his birthday, but really, he doesn't eat much in the way of sweets. He's gotten a taste of a PB cookie and a bite of a mini cheesecake thingie, but usually we don't have that kind of stuff in the house anyway-just now for Christmas.

I'm also 'that lady' who's always made her kid's food since he was 6 mos. and doesn't allow any fast food (again, just not something we eat) so take it as you will. I know other people allow their kids more candy and sweets, which is fine. To each their own. Just my disclaimer since sometimes it's assumed that I'm judging by writing how we do things.

dor79

We never offer anything sweet but we also do not hide anything sweet either. 

If he wants a piece of something that we are eating he will get some, if he wants an arrowroot cookie because he saw it he can have one.

brewcitybride

I was also more strict with the first child, but we still don't give our 1 year old very many sweets. He didn't have any type of cookie or bakery until his first birthday cake, and he's never had juice. He now does get the occasional homemade cookie, and he LOVES chocolate covered raisins cut up into tiny bits.

Everything in moderation is my philsophy. As long as 90% of his diet is healthy, I am ok with 10% being fun treats!

M&M227

We let DD every once in a while (maybe once a week or so).  It depends.  She loves it though.

preggersin2011

CatahoulaMom:

I know I'm stricter than most (my parents call it 'uptight'), but I'm really anal with what DS eats. He did get some of a cupcake on his birthday, but really, he doesn't eat much in the way of sweets. He's gotten a taste of a PB cookie and a bite of a mini cheesecake thingie, but usually we don't have that kind of stuff in the house anyway-just now for Christmas.

I'm also 'that lady' who's always made her kid's food since he was 6 mos. and doesn't allow any fast food (again, just not something we eat) so take it as you will. I know other people allow their kids more candy and sweets, which is fine. To each their own. Just my disclaimer since sometimes it's assumed that I'm judging by writing how we do things.

I guess we are in the same boat together. I make everything for LO except for the minimal snacks I let her have at DC. It don't allow the processed garbage in my house so it isn't like LO is watching me eat it. I have a few friends who consider 'honey nut cheerios" dessert for special occasions while daily cereals is regular cheerios, rice krispies or oatmeal.  I agree with them and eat that way myself. There is too much sugar (and salt) in our own diets and it doesn't need to be in an innocent child's that doesn't have control over their food options. LO's pedi thinks it is ridiculous that they market "infant yogurt" that contains sugar as an ingredient or that her DC's provided lunch menu item of 'meat' doesn't naturally occur as an animal part.

Adam&Eve2

I let DD have sweets here and there. I don't think its every day, but she doesn't seem that into them either. It's more if she sees me or DH have something she wants it too. A lot of the stuff I give her is sugar free anyway. 

RayRay007

She started going to daycare at 11 months where they have a sweet at afternoon snack so I gave up on those things that are out of my control. At home she pretty much never has junk food.

lkm2006

Compared to 99.9% of people on this board, I'm not strict at all.  Sweets are a part of our lives for sure.

 I have heard of way to many stories of parents denying their kids any type of sweet and then the child going crazy when they get old enough to realize it (DH was one of them!).  He wasn't allowed any type of sugar so every summer when he went to camp, he would eat nothing but junk because that was his only chance.

I want DS to experience sweets (because, who doesn't like them?? I know I do!) but I also want him to make healthy choices.  I want him to know he can eat his healthy lunch and still get a "sweet" something later for a snack.. that way he doesn't go crazy anytime he gets something sweet later on in life.

I promise it's not eating sweets at a young age that is setting kids up for failure.  It's the lack of a healthy diet, eating ONLY sweets and kids sitting around not playing all day.  

 

 

chardonnay24

lkm2006:

Compared to 99.9% of people on this board, I'm not strict at all.  Sweets are a part of our lives for sure.

 I have heard of way to many stories of parents denying their kids any type of sweet and then the child going crazy when they get old enough to realize it (DH was one of them!).  He wasn't allowed any type of sugar so every summer when he went to camp, he would eat nothing but junk because that was his only chance.

I want DS to experience sweets (because, who doesn't like them?? I know I do!) but I also want him to make healthy choices.  I want him to know he can eat his healthy lunch and still get a "sweet" something later for a snack.. that way he doesn't go crazy anytime he gets something sweet later on in life.

I promise it's not eating sweets at a young age that is setting kids up for failure.  It's the lack of a healthy diet, eating ONLY sweets and kids sitting around not playing all day.  

 

 

I agree with this. Everything in moderation is fine. I am picky about what foods I feed my son because I want him to have a healthy, well rounded diet and that includes food that is as natural as possible. A homemade cookie or bit of apple crisp is not going to kill him, however. I eat sweets and I'm not going to hide it. As soon as he was old enough to notice and start asking, he was allowed to eat dessert when I eat it.

I know a girl who grew up without a microwave because her mother did not believe in them. She used to sneak SO MUCH microwave popcorn, pop tarts, and other microwavable junk over at my house because it was such a treat. I want to avoid that scenario, so if it means that my kid gets some sugar every so often, so be it.

kxp004

lkm2006:

Compared to 99.9% of people on this board, I'm not strict at all.  Sweets are a part of our lives for sure.

 I have heard of way to many stories of parents denying their kids any type of sweet and then the child going crazy when they get old enough to realize it (DH was one of them!).  He wasn't allowed any type of sugar so every summer when he went to camp, he would eat nothing but junk because that was his only chance.

I want DS to experience sweets (because, who doesn't like them?? I know I do!) but I also want him to make healthy choices.  I want him to know he can eat his healthy lunch and still get a "sweet" something later for a snack.. that way he doesn't go crazy anytime he gets something sweet later on in life.

I promise it's not eating sweets at a young age that is setting kids up for failure.  It's the lack of a healthy diet, eating ONLY sweets and kids sitting around not playing all day.  

THIS!!!!! 100%

My child is active, eats healthy meals 99% of the time, loves his fruits, working on his veggies, and doesn't zombie out in front of the tv...

The children we need to be concerned about are ones like I babysat the other day:

The mother brought them over with poptarts and frozen corn dogs for breakfast, chicken nuggets for lunch, peanut butter and some spoons for a snack, fake juice for their drinks, and instructions to let them watch tv whenever they wanted to... her kids are 18 months, and 3 years old....

SkyBee

We rarely have sweets at home, but when we do, I will give him a bite. Also, the grandparents seem to think sweets are wonderful and therefore he gets treats everytime we go to their house. That is only once every other week so I don't think it is a big deal.

lukafoo74

So found out daycare gives out daily treats. Not too happy about that. 

jleigh355

I am definitely not like most of you.  I give my 15 mo old son treats. Not everyday, but I will give him nibbles of what I am eating and occasionally give him a treat of his own.

 I was one of those people that was deprived of sweets growing up. We only had healthy foods in the house. If I got sweets it was on holidays and that was it. In response, I would sneak candy and treats in my room, my mom would find candy wrappers and similar that I would get when I was old enough to go to the corner store and use my own change. I would steal change from my dad to buy a dessert at school because I never got anything ever at home. (yes,  I always got busted lol) This resulted in a weight problem for me because I eventually over indulged. 

I dont believe in depriving.    I think it is dangerous. There are too many temptations around; denying your kids of anything beyond healthy is setting them up for issues in the future, in my opinion. As a former in-home child therapist, I also saw many kids have this same issue from not being allowed any sweets.

I believe in balance. We all want our kids to be healthy.  That goes without saying.  So long as your child continues to eat what is best for them, a little yummy sweet is harmless.  My son would probably prefer to live on vegetables than sweets anyway; he goes crazy for them.