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Original poster

DD (7) stealing and sneaking food

44 replies

Tunip · 17/12/2018 09:42

I have name changed for this.

I don’t know how to handle this’ll this.

DD(7) has been secretly anything sweet. A whole big jar of nutella disappears down over 5 days. I never saw her eat it. DS had some but was open about it. I put some chocolates on the tree. they have all gone.

I am type 1 diabetic and always carry jelly beans. She has been in my bag and eaten them all despite knowing they are mummy’s medicine.

She will sneak teaspoons of sugar onto her cereal, If I am there she will have none. She knows it is naughty.

I don’t know what to do. I have moved all crappy food up high so she cant reach it and have no intention of buying any more junk, not that there is a lot anyway but as it is Christmas...:)

I don’t want to cause an eating disorder. I Have never mentioned weight. How do I limit or control her sweet tooth?

OP posts:
Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 09:44

She’s is not overweighted, yet, but is beginning to get a belly.

OP posts:
MerryBear · 17/12/2018 09:46

Has she had any emotional upsets lately?

Pinkyyy · 17/12/2018 09:51

You need to have a conversation with her. Ask her if she gets hungry between meal times and if she's upset about anything. Do you have snacks available that she has access to, eg. fruit, cereal bars etc?

Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 10:23

No upsets and she can have cereal or fruit which is always available. We tell them to ask before they take something as tea could be very close and most of the time we say yes to an apple etc.

I really don’t think it is hunger, more of an addiction to sugar

OP posts:
DaffydownClock · 17/12/2018 10:25

Has she any other signs of incipient diabetes? Sugar cravings can be indicative of this developing in some people.

Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 10:27

No Thirst and I have checked her BGL all Normal.

Excuse random capitals.

OP posts:
bertielab · 17/12/2018 10:30

No sugar cravings do not indicate diabetes. I'd actually have a chat about balanced diet it's part of the KS2 curriculum. Paper plates and design some meals.

Get her to chose some healthy and non healthy snacks and ask her to chose one a day in the holidays =etc (puddings at meal times don't count etc), talk about teeth and sugar.

It's getting dark so could be SAD and lack of serotonin -consider a daylight box or getting her outside more and look at Vitamin D.

Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 10:34

LOL, we are in the Southern Hemisphere so definitely not SAD.

She knows about healthy eating as she is hiding the foods she knows are unhealthy. she also knows about too much sugar ( although I am more likely to use the term carbs) and knows I have to have an injection if I eat any.

Type 1 is in my family but as late onset rather than juvenile, so that might be a red herring. BTW, I have never has a sweet tooth.

OP posts:
UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 17/12/2018 10:44

Is she bored?

Is she having a lot of hidden sugar (bread, cereal) which is feeding a sugar addiction?

Are her portion sizes at meal times enough? Do they contain enough protein?

Is she being bullied at school?

Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 10:52

please don’t confuse type 1 with type 2. I have an autoimmune disorder. My DD is not overweight, nor does she have a
shit diet or high blood glucose levels. I Know because I have checked. But she will sneak sweet stuff

OP posts:
TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 17/12/2018 10:54

Hi Op. My sister in law used to take sugary food and pints of milk when she was little. It turned out that she was type 1 diabetic. I would get your little one checked at the Gp, just for peace of mind.

TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 17/12/2018 10:55

Sorry Op, cross posted.

NataliaOsipova · 17/12/2018 10:58

Are you very strict about sugar? It could be a “forbidden fruit” type of thing. I was struck that you described sugar on cereal as “naughty”. It’s not ideal, but in the context of an otherwise balanced diet, I wouldn’t have a problem with it (a small amount, anyway!), especially if the breakfast was otherwise healthy.

Conversations about what a healthy diet looks like and what foods we can eat lots of...and which we can only eat small amounts.....might help? She can then understand your reasoning.

makingmiracles · 17/12/2018 10:58

On a basic level, is she hydrated enough?
My dcs go through 2-3 1litre bottle of dilute squash with ice a day, on days where we are busy or they forget to drink as much, I definitely notice they are far more hungry and craving sweet stuff....

Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 11:01

:) I AM very aware of signs of T1D as I am terrified that I can pass this on, but as I said the diabetes is a red herring. She is happy with outfit, but if it is there, she will guzzle anything crap. Crisps chocolate etc

OP posts:
Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 11:10

Natalia. I didn't want to go into much detail, but will let her have 1/2 teaspoon on her cereal, but I know if I am not there, she will put at least 2 on. I think you have articulated what I want to say. How do I avoid sugar being the forbidden fruit?

OP posts:
BlackInk · 17/12/2018 11:20

Hi OP

I know you're fully aware of signs to look out for, but it's worth keeping an eye on your DD's blood sugar levels even if they are normal now.

My younger sister developed T1 diabetes when she was a young adult. Her very first symptom (which she had no idea was a symptom at the time) was serious cravings for sugary foods. She would crave and eat bars of chocolate, but was losing not gaining weight. This went on for about a year before other symptoms (drinking a lot, feeling very tired and urinating a lot) made her go to the drs.

On a different note, my best friend's little boy started stealing food at a similar age. As a family they ate VERY 'healthily' and I think he actually needed more fat and energy in his diet, and a little more freedom with his eating.

TBDO · 17/12/2018 11:42

Does she have much fat and protein in her diet? This will keep her more satisfied. She may be having too many carbs with hidden sugar, leaving her wanting another sugar fix.

HopeHopity · 17/12/2018 11:52

OP I think it is great that you are looking into this.
I used to do that as a child.
My parent's and family reaction was to
A) ignore it
B) when it wasn't ignored it was mocked

I ended up with life lasting eating disorders, anxiety, self harming.

As I understand now, these are not consequences of the "food stealing" but of the way it was dealt/ not dealt with by my parents and older siblings Sad

Is there anything else about her you get the feeling it could be an anxiety/ control thing?
Or do you think it is simply that she likes sweet things and feels she has to find them as she does not have access?

I would try to see if the cause is nerves or anxiety and have a good honest chat and find some alternatives to manage anxiety

Or see if it is that she is craving the sweets and maybe look at a diet that helps avoiding sugar drops, more protein maybe, and start cooking / making some healthier treats for her

Just please don't shame her or make her thing treats are evil, which I am sure you won't, but I just don't want her to experience the hurt and sadness I had. And the shame.

I think you are a great mum and I think I would try to talk to a HV or another professional 💙

Original poster
Tunip · 17/12/2018 12:02

Her diet is pretty good, all meals are cooked from scratch. However, no humous and celery for lunch. Cheese sandwich fruit and yoghurt for school.

I am not concerned about her diet as neither me, DH or DS are overweight. We eat well, with a very small about of shit,ie one bisciut a day

Just to reiterate. I a type 1. I know the symptoms
She is not thirsty
She is not tired
She is not losing weight, in fact she is getting tubby
She rides her bike to school and back ( 2 miles) does ballet, tap, basketball

Her height is on the 75 percentile and so is her weight

I have checked her BGL , it was 5.2

How do I stop sugar becoming the forbidden fruit?

OP posts:
HopeHopity · 17/12/2018 12:06

OP I also had a very good diet and nobody was overweighed
We exercised and were healthy, sugary drinks and that was not a thing back then in my home country.

I honestly don't know why I was and still am so obsessed with the choc and sugar

Maybe ask her if she feels she wants more than she is getting?
I honestly wish I knew how to help OP 😔

HopeHopity · 17/12/2018 12:06

Maybe if she baked her own cakes?

My friend who owns a bakery is so good with sugar

BoswelliaGoldMyrrh · 17/12/2018 12:14

Try not to have any sweet stuff in the house. Teach her that sweet/treat food is for fun days and parties, not everyday. Treat food should be limited to a brownie in a café/birthday party food/icecream at seaside etc. Come from the perspective of healthy functioning teeth/organs/stomach rather than weight/body image. Give more protein and fats like eggs. Give moderate carbs, eg meat/veg curry and a scoop of rice, rather than carb heavy food like spaghetti & pesto.

For your diabetic sweets, can you get those boring glucose lozenges that don't look so enticing to little eyes. Either way impress on her how important they are for you to prevent a diabetic coma.

Cailleach · 17/12/2018 12:16

I was similar as a child and could be so as an adult unless I am extremely strict with myself.

In my case it was stress / neurologically related as I was diagnosed with autism as an adult.