Sorry, my kids really can’t eat that.
Author, and Mum blogger, Elizabeth Broadbent has opened up a discussion over how badly sweets affect a child and if it is fair to leave them on the sidelines when it comes to parties, celebrations and other jelly-filled activities.
Like most mums, I find it hard to police my children’s sugar intake when it comes to birthday parties and even the usual ‘Friday treat jelly’ some schools now offer. I try to limit treats to the weekend, but when it comes to visits with Granny, Halloween and Christmas, I feel like I am spending my life battling against the sugar rush.
In Elizabeth’s blog on ScaryMommy.com she explains that her children have a milk intolerance as well as non-celiac gluten intolerance which will set them into a spiral of hyper and naughty behaviour. Certain food dyes are also on her prohibited list and she says she often comes under criticism for excluding her children from having fizzy drinks, chocolate and sweets.
“Yes, it’s very sad, as people tell me. And no, they can’t have “just a taste.” My mother thought I was crazy-momming my kids’ issues until she saw Blaise get butter. She became a believer real quick. Other people insist on arguing with me. They usually know that since I say “intolerant” and not “allergic,” the kids won’t keel over, so they think it’s up for discussion. It’s not, unless you want to parent my kids for the next two days. So peddle your orange soda somewhere else.”
Elizabeth says her children do miss out but there is an abundance of substitutes she makes readily available to her boys. She says she is sick of being shamed about the choices she makes for her children health:
“They can’t have lots of mainstream foods, so don’t offer it. And don’t pressure me to give it to them. Yes, a taste will hurt. And no, I’m not a crazy mom. I just know what’s best for my kids. I couldn’t survive them if I didn’t.”
Discussions on parenting forums like Netmums point out some of the biggest offenders when it comes to food that affects their child’s behaviour including fruit juice, orange food dye, processed foods and high content sugar yogurts.
“The rule in this house is no fizzy drinks only water or pure fruit juice (not fruit shoots) and if he has sweets once a week he has a few haribo out of a big bag but we only talking about five little bears or something that size, when he goes to his grandparents hes also limited but they give him sweets more times than i would” – Carol W192
“We tend to avoid eating junk in front of her so she doesn’t ask for some. She drinks water unless we are out and I’ve forgotten her water or something. We don’t buy fizzy juice, fruit juice or anything so water is her only choice really”–Lesley
But some commenters disagree with such harsh rules.
“They don’t have sweets every day, but would have them a few times a week. They would sometimes be available as an option for snacks at home, or for play piece at school time. They probably have them more than they should, and I would like to encourage them to have more fruit but there is no way I could be as strict as some other mums” – Laura M
“My kids are 10 and 12 and get chocolate or sweets most days. Both have beautifully clean and well looked after teeth. I dont believe in banning any food in our house. I always say everything in moderation and if they are eating the fruit and veg I give them then I dont see a problem with sweets each day. Its normally a fun sized sweet or a small pack of haribo” –Gayle
A friend of mine was forbidden any sweets when she was younger and say now that she used to feel very left out when she turned up to parties with her own bag of fruit. Like most of my parenting I can understand both sides.
Personally, I try to get the balance right with my own set of limits so that a treat really is a treat rather than an everyday expectation.
What do you think Mamas? Does being overstrict with sweets risk isolating your child, or are the health implications worth it?
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