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June 2011 Moms
gymnst1013
member
Here's why I don't get denying cake
gymnst1013
member
Your LO is going to be exposed to all manner of food at some point in their lives. If you deny all sweets until they are older and can get them at school, friends' houses, etc. and they realize what they've been missing out on it's more likely that they are going to overindulge then. They won't have learned any moderation when it comes to sweets. (This is based on highly scientific research, of course 
So better to give them some in moderation now and teach them to make good choices than to let them run amuck later in life.
So better to give them some in moderation now and teach them to make good choices than to let them run amuck later in life.
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Re: Here's why I don't get denying cake
My son will get regular ol' frosting, but I sort of don't get the point of this post. Of all the things to care about what a parent does, the frosting on their kid's birthday cake has to be pretty low down on the list.
I don't think a first birthday cake is teaching good or bad habits. It's just a cake, people.
I completely agree. I have a friend who's mother was a model, and they ate only "healthy" foods, which meant almost nothing but fruits and veggies, even meat/protein was limited. When she went to friends houses they would give her sweets and she would gorge herself with whatever was available (like a whole sleeve of Oreos if she could get it past the parents) and it made a very unhealthy relationship with food, which she still fights this day.
At this age I don't think they need something sweet everyday, but I think once in a while is just fine.
The bolded is exactly the point of this post. We've got a zillion posts lately about not wanting to give LO sugar. It's just a cake, people.
My aunt did the no sugar or junk food thing, now they come over and all they will eat is junk. I guess that went out the window. Oh well, whatever parents want to do is up to them but we let ds have sweet things every now and then. No cake until his bday though!
Exactly. I think everything in moderation, and that is learned from an early age.
I can totally see not wanting your kid to have sugar until they are older. My baby is still a baby! She'll get real cake but after that, she won't really get sweets at all on a regular basis. However, after she is two, we'll probably be singing a different tune. But at one there is no reason to 'practice moderation'.
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Same here. She touched the icing on her cake, made a disgusted look, and put her hand down so the dog could lick the icing off her fingers :-P I live for sweets, like I turn into a crazed woman if I go for more than a day or two without candy/cake/cookies/ice cream/etc. Yet I was worried about giving DD sugar. I was actually going to make a sugar-free cake (sweetened with applesauce) for her smash cake. In the end, the cake we bought for guests came with a free smash cake so we just used that. Now that she is a year, I feel better about giving sugar. I don't know why, maybe I'm learning to relax? Regardless, we gave her cake and she didn't eat it. I'm in favor of offering cake for a bday because its only one day and exercising moderation on a daily basis as a rule of thumb.
If they aren't going to remember it, why do people want to go to such great lengths to be sure their LO doesn't get any sugar? I'm sure this doesn't apply to everyone but going to such great lengths leads me to believe they are going to be denying their LOs sugar on more than just their birthday.
Denying is such a strong word for this topic. It's not like they are begging for cake, or even asking for it. I also don't think it's going to 'great lengths' to not give LO cake. You just don't give it to them. In my in laws family, it's some weird thing for some aunts to give them beer on their 1st birthday. I'm gonna be a weirdo and up tight for 'denying' him beer. But oh well! People are allowed to have their own opinions
like this!!! exactly my thoughts on the issue - and if you are still really against sugar for dental reasons - can i suggest just brushing their teeth afterwards!!
BFP 11/18/13. EDD 7/25/14. It's a BOY!
Surprise BFP 7/30/13. EDD 4/7/14. Natural MC 8/24/13
Yep - I guess everyone's "appropriate age" is different though
If a ton of people can post about NOT giving sugar, I don't see why gym can't post her opposing opinion.
I don't give Ash a ton of sweets, but it is his birthday, and its just cake.
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Yep, and this is mine
And the great lengths I'm talking about are making a sugarless cake. If you don't want them to have sugar, just don't give them cake.
Gym, I guess to me, moderation is something that you practice daily or weekly.. like sweets only once a week or once a month.. I just don't see Molly having sweets but on her birthday and maybe a bite of pie on Thanksgiving or something? So, it isn't in 'moderation' but 'very infrequently'?
That's cool - I understand what you're saying. We all have different thresholds I guess
I meant to add.. only for another year or so. As she gets older, she will get sugar more frequently and THAT is when moderation will come into play. Plus, next year at birthday parties (when everyone is turning two) it will be much harder to keep her from cupcakes and things like that.
Ok, that makes sense to me. We're doing a cake of sorts (homemade strawberry shortcake with lightly sweetened whipped cream, yummmmm), but buying a sugary, artificially colored bakery cake would just be so out of line with the rest of her diet, it wouldn't make sense in our family. We don't give her artificial colors or flavors and try to avoid added salt or sugar in her diet.
That's just for right now, though. Like PPs have said, everyone's timeline is different. I plan to be a stickler for as long as possible, but much more relaxed when she's older. We don't want to make food an issue, which it isn't now that she has no idea what we aren't offering her, you know?
I think for me, the cake is all about tradition. I know DS won't remember squat from his party, but I want him to experience a traditional birthday party w/ decorations, presents, cake, balloons, etc.
It's the same as Christmas--he got presents in his stocking because it's tradition.
But I try to make it age-appropriate. So...he gets a wrapped rattle in his stocking instead of a video game. And his cake gets less sugar than it would if he was older.
I'm making a cake that's appropriate for a one-year old. I don't see it as "denying" him sugar. Trust me, even the yogurt frosting I'm making has more sugar in it than he's ever had in his life.
Gym, I have to admit that I am shocked by this post... after all, you were the one who denied N puffs because they were "empty calories," hahaha.
Seriously though, it's silly. But if you want to give your kid a zucchini cake frosted with fat free cottage cheese, go right ahead. My girl L.O.V.E.D. her Wegmans cupcake (and that was in addition to the smash cake for her photos and her cupcake that she had on her actual birthday) and I don't regret giving it to her.
Gym, I was really hoping when I opened this it was going to be a ridiculously cute picture of N digging into his smash cake
I'm with you on this one. I was given everything in moderation growing up. If i wanted a cookie (or whatever) I got it, after dinner or course. I learned moderation and I make healthy choices now.
My LO will be getting a smash cake on his birthday AND for his pictures.
Haha - well good point!
Actually N has never had puffs and still doesn't get a lot of grains. I guess I see puffs as more of a diet staple than an occasional treat. Something people carry in a diaper bag or give to tide the baby over until meal time which is why I don't give them. Not a birthday treat. I'd be OK giving them to him if puffs were the birthday thing to do 