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Original poster

Getting frustrated by everyone giving my toddler chocolate!

79 replies

Toddlerbeast · 15/04/2022 10:33

It's been almost every morning this week where someone has just handed my toddler an Easter egg or Easter chocolate gift.
Then I have had the battle of trying to prize chocolate out of a confused toddlers hands. Some days I've let him have some but he's such a fussy eater so he ends up missing lunch then gets irritable.

When I was young we had no chocolate until Easter Sunday, parents would keep all the chocolate until Easter morning then we'd wake up to all our eggs from family etc.

I've tried pointing this out to my parents but they just like the actual giving treats to my child regardless of how I feel.

Don't get me wrong, I do let my child have treats but only once he's actually eaten a meal otherwise 'real' food gets missed.

Am I being unreasonable to expect people to check with me before they hand chocolate to a 3 year old?!

OP posts:
ArtVandalay · 15/04/2022 10:36

People are so rude and presumptuous. I never gave mine chocolate when they were very small. Every Easter deaf relatives and friends would buy them eggs regardless. My gym collects Easter eggs, so that’s where they’d go.

RoyKent · 15/04/2022 10:37

I think you just need to accept around Easter they will be eating more sweeties and chocolate. We've been away this week with family and my daughter has been given so many sweets but people do it put of love

NuffSaidSam · 15/04/2022 10:40

I think the mistake is letting them have some of it already.

Take it away as soon as it's given and say it's for Easter. Then 'lose' some of it before now and Easter. Put the rest out on Easter Sunday and explain he can eat a bit after dinner each day until it's gone.

You can control what other people do unfortunately, so you've got to find a way to work round it by altering what you do/say to your child.

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AGritThatThrobs · 15/04/2022 17:26

@Toddlerbeast

It’s very frustrating. I think Easter Egg packaging should come with warning labels. Like cigarette packaging. CHOCOLATE KILLS. Instead of cute pink fluffy bunnies etc. That’ll hopefully put Granny off picking them up in the supermarket.

Blert · 15/04/2022 17:30

@NuffSaidSam

I think the mistake is letting them have some of it already.

Take it away as soon as it's given and say it's for Easter. Then 'lose' some of it before now and Easter. Put the rest out on Easter Sunday and explain he can eat a bit after dinner each day until it's gone.

You can control what other people do unfortunately, so you've got to find a way to work round it by altering what you do/say to your child.

I completely agree with this.
Germolenequeen · 15/04/2022 17:30

You are def not BU - the amount of sweets and chocolate given to children every day let alone before Easter is ridiculous IMO 🙄

HairyMuttttt · 15/04/2022 17:32

Save it for Easter Day but in fact give an appropriate amount

wheresthehope · 15/04/2022 17:35

I hear your frustration. My FIL has diabetes and carries a container of jellybeans around with him. Stocks it up when coming to visit and fills my 2.5yr old DS on them. Drives me batty

Theunamedcat · 15/04/2022 17:38

Never understand why some grandparents and various family members do this my kids are quite well trained in that grandad bought a bag of eggs the other day it's been sitting here in full view ever since they haven't once asked for it but when they were younger I did have to hide them granny gave them eggs when we visited one year grinned at me and said I suppose mum is going to take those off you now so you will eat your dinners I said not at all she began to panic but couldn't back down and refused to remove them wanted me to be the bad guy so they ate the chocolate smeared it everywhere refused food screamed bickered suger crashed cried I ate my food mildly rebuked them let dad take care of everything with his mum she even tried to make us go early I refused said I hadn't seen sil for ages my husband went mad when we got home I pointed out I didn't cause the problem and he didn't like me disagreeing within mother so why was he taking it out on me? Following year we got eggs in a bag stuffed in our car on arrival

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 15/04/2022 17:39

Oh yes. There was one Easter we went to stay with Mil and she gave them each a full sized Easter egg every day as well as extra mini eggs, an Easter egg hunt in her garden etc. Plus every museum, National Trust house etc we went to had an Easter egg trail.
You just have to take control and take it away immediately no matter how much flack you get from relatives.

BiscuitLover3678 · 15/04/2022 17:56

They should definitely be asking you or at the very least handing it to you out of his sight!

dipdye · 15/04/2022 17:58

Completely agree.

Favourodds · 15/04/2022 18:01

I can't get excited about it. It's just one week. I want my daughter to grow up with a good relationship with food and not a completely dysfunctional one like so many women my mum's age who place a disproportionate amount of their own worth on their weight. Part of that is the understanding that there isn't 'good' food or 'bad' food, just food.

girlmom21 · 15/04/2022 18:11

How old is he? Why's he confused?

We went to a farm today and DD got given a little egg. We let her eat it.

She came home from nursery with a full sized egg - we told her we don't open those until Easter Sunday.

She's 2.

Surely it's only the same as it was 4 months with Xmas and nursery gifts, trips to Santa, etc?

HalloHello · 15/04/2022 18:45

My family all buy 1 Easter egg each for my DD4. But that means she gets 1 from my parents, 1 from my husband's mum and step dad, 1 from my husband's dad, 1 from my brother etc and 1 from DH brother, 1 from us and then her birthday is April so she got 4 for presents 🤣 enough chocolate for the whole year!! Luckily once they're out of sight, they're out of mind so can use them as and when.

My father in law asked if he should buy my son an Easter egg.... He's 7 months old!!! 🤯

Steelesauce · 15/04/2022 18:52

Doesn't bother me. Its chocolate and doesn't have to be eaten all in 1 go. Mine have had a few eggs over the past week given to them and I've let them have it as and when. Me and my Mum usually get them a small token egg and treat them to something else instead. This year is a build a bear.

AGritThatThrobs · 15/04/2022 19:40

I have seen that Fortnum and Mason do a lovely looking hand painted egg. Could you not point your egg buyers in that direction? I wonder how Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge copes. Perhaps she has a great alternative choice for her precious ones…

AGritThatThrobs · 15/04/2022 19:52

I’m allowing mine to have a few cacao nibs as an extra special treat on Sunday - after their usual sprouted quinoa with rainbow salad/turmeric-dusted chickpeas. Apparently low in sugar and high in antioxidants, you can get them in Waitrose.

Creamarrancardi · 15/04/2022 19:57

I have absolutely no issue with chocolate.

But. As OP says, it spoils lunch/dinner, which then messes the day up, which then messes the night up and I reserve the right to get worked up over that!

So instead of breakfast, lunch, bit of chocolate, dinner, we get:

Breakfast
Chocolate
Refuses lunch
Wakes up hungry and cranky after nap, has a snack
Refuses tea because he’s had snack
Wakes up repeatedly overnight.

So yep I get worked up!

autienotnaughty · 15/04/2022 20:01

@Favourodds

I can't get excited about it. It's just one week. I want my daughter to grow up with a good relationship with food and not a completely dysfunctional one like so many women my mum's age who place a disproportionate amount of their own worth on their weight. Part of that is the understanding that there isn't 'good' food or 'bad' food, just food.
Yes why are all our celebrations validated with sugary treats.
autienotnaughty · 15/04/2022 20:04

I'd jump in and say this is going and at for Easter bunny. Then if there's too much chocolate donate some to a food bank. Do the rest Easter Sunday. Let her have a little then put the rest away.

autienotnaughty · 15/04/2022 20:05

Sorry him!!

Babadook76 · 15/04/2022 20:08

@girlmom21

How old is he? Why's he confused?

We went to a farm today and DD got given a little egg. We let her eat it.

She came home from nursery with a full sized egg - we told her we don't open those until Easter Sunday.

She's 2.

Surely it's only the same as it was 4 months with Xmas and nursery gifts, trips to Santa, etc?

He’s 3 so I’m not sure why he’s being referred to as a ‘confused toddler’.
Saltysaltycaramelanything · 15/04/2022 20:22

Yes this used to get to me too when mine were younger and it's worse when Easter is late. It was only one or two chocs at a time but it all added up as it was from nursery, school, the nanny, my bootcamp instructor, our cleaner, grandparents, friends at play dates etc etc. It was all too much and each one I couldn't say no and meant by Easter I felt bad giving more chocs.

elbea · 15/04/2022 20:25

My toddler can’t have chocolate on tap, but framing it as a ‘treat’ to be eaten after other food is a mistake.