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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to give my children a treat everyday?

119 replies

Flossyknicks · 28/05/2026 07:00

I’m wondering what other parents do when it comes to giving their children treats. They are 8 and 4 and will have a biscuit like a digestive or a custard cream, or a Mr Kipling Angel Slice, every day. At the weekends, it might be two treats.

YABU one treat a day is too much
YANBU one treat a day is ok

OP posts:
ToSayYouHaveNoChoiceIsAFailureOfImagination · 28/05/2026 07:29

My rule when my kids were younger was one sugary thing a day. A sugary thing was a biscuit, cake, glass of orange juice, fruit yoghurt, ice-cream. Anything with more sugar than good nutrition

hahabahbag · 28/05/2026 07:28

A plain biscuit eg a digestive, no chocolate is fine as long as they are active kids, eat their dinners and aren’t overweight. If there is a drip feed where the child is twice the healthy weight, then no the snacks need to go

WonderingWanda · 28/05/2026 07:26

I think that sounds fine.

Malasana · 28/05/2026 07:25

Flossyknicks · 28/05/2026 07:17

I used treat incorrectly as I don’t actually call them treats and neither do the kids, they’ll just ask for a biscuit. It’s good to know it’s quite normal. At the weekends they may have some ice cream after dinner

Show quote history

Perfectly normal. Don’t fret.

I always tried to work on the basis of foods are some of the time foods v most of the time foods. My daughter has a great relationship with food as an adult.

Me? Not so much. My mother heavily restricted these types of food, hid them, commented about being “naughty” if she had a pud, obsessed over other people’s appetites and bodies as well as their own. The result is me with a very difficult relationship with food that exhausts me. It starts small and seemingly insignificant but over time……

A biscuit every day, piece
of angel cake or whatever is no issue at all x

Original poster
Flossyknicks · 28/05/2026 07:25

I’m not upset or concerned, I’m just wondering what others do. Perhaps I’m being extremely mean! Interested to hear what other sweet (don’t say) treats parents give their children..

OP posts:
Nottopanic · 28/05/2026 07:23

A biscuit, cake or ice cream etc is completely fine.

TheThunderRolls · 28/05/2026 07:21

Why is everyone being so pedantic over the word "treat". My goodness! And who cares about a biscuit a day? Why would that even factor in as a concern?

Original poster
Flossyknicks · 28/05/2026 07:18

MaryBeardsShoes · 28/05/2026 07:14

YABU to say a digestive biscuit is a treat. That’s a punishment.

😂 I agree but they do ask for them

OP posts:
Original poster
Flossyknicks · 28/05/2026 07:17

Malasana · 28/05/2026 07:12

I think what I would do is to reframe “treat” and call it a snack. That way you aren’t putting food like cake or biscuits etc on a pedestal and your kids learn they can have them as part of an overall healthy diet.

In answer to your question, no I don’t think this is excessive at all. If you restrict these sorts of foods so that they become available only on the odd occasion, that’s where relationships with food start to go awry. Normalise them so your kids aren’t desperate for them and you’re doing just fine.

I used treat incorrectly as I don’t actually call them treats and neither do the kids, they’ll just ask for a biscuit. It’s good to know it’s quite normal. At the weekends they may have some ice cream after dinner

OP posts:
MaryBeardsShoes · 28/05/2026 07:14

YABU to say a digestive biscuit is a treat. That’s a punishment.

Malasana · 28/05/2026 07:12

I think what I would do is to reframe “treat” and call it a snack. That way you aren’t putting food like cake or biscuits etc on a pedestal and your kids learn they can have them as part of an overall healthy diet.

In answer to your question, no I don’t think this is excessive at all. If you restrict these sorts of foods so that they become available only on the odd occasion, that’s where relationships with food start to go awry. Normalise them so your kids aren’t desperate for them and you’re doing just fine.

Original poster
Flossyknicks · 28/05/2026 07:10

I probably shouldn’t have said treat, a treat is a little toy or magazine

OP posts:
PygmyOwl · 28/05/2026 07:07

One custard cream a day is fine.

BippityBopper · 28/05/2026 07:06

I don't let mine have a treat everyday. But I'd say a biscuit is in a different catefothan angel slices.

Still, our generation have normalised heavily processed foods, so if you can find better alternatives that your kids like, then maybe replace the biscuits, angel slices, etc. with those.

Jellycatspyjamas · 28/05/2026 07:06

Really can’t get upset over a digestive biscuit. I’m sure someone will come along and suggest you’re mainlining crack into your kids but I couldn’t get her up about a couple of biscuits a day.

InOverMyHead84 · 28/05/2026 07:05

Are the treats there to reinforce good behaviour?

If it's a daily thing regardless, that's no longer a treat

Sirzy · 28/05/2026 07:03

Something you have every day isn’t a treat.

that said there is nothing wrong with one biscuit every day

VIII · 28/05/2026 07:03

A biscuit is not a treat... Hmm

Potooooooooes · 28/05/2026 07:03

A biscuit. All this angst over a biscuit. Good lord.