Giving Children Treats?

[PeanutBean]

I'm not sure how old he was but Byron had his first bit of cake at my SIL's house. He wasn't much fussed about it. He had some because she'd made it and I've never got anything special in for him, even now. He had some ice cream at his friend's first birthday who is two months older than him. And he had cake at his three (!) birthday celebrations with various families. He never gets much and usually at home he just has fruit. I sometimes give him a nibble of a biscuit if I'm eating one but I don't often have biscuits.

I think moderation (as always) is the thing. I agree that to give sweet things as a specific treat just trains them to think of sweet things as something super-special and desirable. I'd rather Byron could take it or leave it so don't make a big deal out of it when he does get things. He's only really eaten cake. At least there is other value to cake and puddings (especially fruit ones). I don't plan on letting him have actual sweets for a long time yet.

 

[mamalove]

I cant remember when we started but she has a treat after dinner if she eats well.

I don't consider yoghurtus to be a treat,more like chocolate and lolies etc

 

[luckyme225]

Connors first sweet was his first birthday cupcake I believe.

 

[KarenLV]

Skyler gets treats regularly. I'm a believer in "everything in moderation".He is not a picky eater at all. He enjoys his meals and his treats.

 

[bluebell]

Skyler gets treats regularly. I'm a believer in "everything in moderation".He is not a picky eater at all. He enjoys his meals and his treats.

We're the same with Jay, he loves his food (meals and treats!)

xx

 

[Ratty]

I think for their first birthday, they should be allowed some of their cake, its a special day. Just give the cake without the icing.

That said, Sean is now 18 months and the only treats he gets is flings (baked chips) if we are out and expecting him to keep still for a long time, or biscuits (only the plain ones, not choc chip or anything). Most of the time he gets a yoghurt as a treat!

I don't see the point in giving children this young sweet stuff. They are quite happy with some fruit etc.

We also only give Sean water, never juice. He loves his water so I don't see the point in giving him anything else.

 

[reallytinyamy]

Chloe tends to have 'treats' as treats ie not at home! My dad always gives her a couple of chocolate buttons at their house, for snacks at home she has fruit or cheese.

She had cake at her parties and I'm sure she'll have a feild day at christmas, ut as she doesnt have things like that at home she doesnt expect them here. She has here advent calendar but knows thats once a day at a set time.

its each to their own, my MIL sounds like yours!

 

[Tiff]

I almost got tarred and feathered when I told my OH that I didn't want Claire to have any cake at her birthday. I wanted to give her a bran muffin with a bit of whipped cream on top. Apparently that isn't "okay".

Claire's had nothing like sweets yet either. I think the sweetest thing she's had was a piece of peach that had been baked into a cobbler... and only a small piece. I just don't think she needs it right now.

 

[suzib76]

i have no problem with sweets/cakes as long as lo eats a blanced diet i cant see any reason not to allow it tbh

same with mcdonalds, i would take my kids there every day for a meal but once in a while as a 'treat' it is absolutely fine - speakin of which, 100% chicken breast in a nugget, with a bag of carrots and a drink of water/milk is probably better for some of these kids than the canned processed carp they get fed at home

 

[lollylou1]

Annabelle has treats, but more so a bit of OH i dont buy her choc or set out to give her it but she will have it but my logic is ill bring her up to not expect it and if she wont eat fruit i wont be offering her a sweeter alternative! annabelle has an advent calendar she is quite behind with it as i dont give it her everyday and she only has half the peice she shares it with her daddy

Lou
xxx

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Well when I was little we never had any junk whatsoever. I never ate a sweet until I was 10 or so and we had very healthy organic homemade food. All great and I am grateful I have no fillings and I am pretty healthy BUT when I got to college I was like oooh all these nice treats and i have money to buy them...and I went over bored and now I have a strange relationship with food and I even hide packets when I have no need to. So with Leo I dont deprive but I intend to teach him they are treats for when he really fancies some chocolate etc. He has his advent chocolate - it is Christmas he has never had crips etc. I mean a child might never have treats but might eat chips every day and a child might have a very healthy diet but have chocolate buttons once a week? I would say the latter is healthier?

 

[shampain]

Paddy i suppose has treats, i give him a yogurt after his dinner and now hes having a small chocolate a day out of his advent calender...occasionally he will have a biscuit or something but he never pesters for sweet stuff at all x

 

[Linzi]

Brookes always has treats

I'll let her have a piece of her birthday cake, she's already had a piece of my practice run, she has an advent calendar too for christmas, treats routine wise though she maybe has a little something twice a week ... a gingerbread man, a biscuit or a few white buttons. I dont begrudge her them as she is a good eater anyway and will eat what she's given regardless of sweet or savoury. She prefers savoury over sweet though for sure!!

yeah same here too x

 

[embojet]

Molly has things like youghurts and fruit, but also has a taster of stuff like chocolate and biscuits if they are around. She eats a balanced diet so I dont se the harm in it, but I would never let my nan know otherwise all she would eat would be chocolate buttons! She also prefers savoury over sweet though.

 

[nievesmama]

All 3 of mine have treats. My youngest two prefer fruit tbh. But they do have a chocolate bar/buttons for pudding every day, providing they eat there tea.
But they are fantastic eaters, love their veg so i dont see the harm in a little bit x

 

[nievesmama]

All 3 of mine have treats. My youngest two prefer fruit tbh. But they do have a chocolate bar/buttons for pudding every day, providing they eat there tea.
But they are fantastic eaters, love their veg so i dont see the harm in a little bit x

 

[PeanutBean]

I'm always a little confused when people say they don't see the point in something like sweet things, the point being that they are tasty food. I take Lucy&Pard's point about being deprived things completely can lead to having weird issues about them later.

I would argue that the more important issue (assuming the diet is otherwise healthy) is that treats should come as part of a meal. It's when there is introduction of sugar on a regular basis throughout the day that teeth stop being able to cope and start to succumb to plaque. I went to a healthy eating conference a few years ago aimed at people working in primary schools. A dental researcher that presented there said basically teeth can cope with four episodes of sugar a day, so that's three meals plus. say, an afternoon snack or supper. Information I've had recently has said that ideally there should be at least two hours between each episode of sugar to give the saliva chance to wash away the sugar.

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Thats really interesting PeanutBean what the dental chap said. A regular dose of sugar daily is by no means good no one can think so? But Leo has chocolate buttons once a week albeit 4 or 5 and I have the rest. The worst thing for teeth is in drinks tho and even orange juice is bad. Leo has water and thats it!

 

[PeanutBean]

Well the dose of sugar is basically all food. Fruit and juices are included, the advice didn't relate only to sweets or cake or similar. Also starch is broken down to sugar by the saliva so even starchy foods will lead a sugary residue.