to throw the sweets away

[ZonkedOut]

My lovely and well meaning neighbours came for lunch this weekend and brought a bag of sweets with them as a present for our girls. By bag, I mean a carrier with 3 packets of 200g (or more) each of various Haribo stuff.

The DDs are 1.5 and 3.3, and aren't really used to sweets, and I don't want them to get used to them either. They get an occasional chocolate button as a treat, DD1 sometimes has a 10p pack of Haribo when given it. DD2 would have chocolate day, noon and night given a chance, and probably other sweets too.

I could open a bag and give them to the DDs a few at a time over the course of weeks, however, I can see them clamouring for more and more. Plus, I am bad at sweets myself, and trying to lose weight. I know that if I opened the bag, I'd probably start eating them myself, no matter how good my intentions were to start with... One or two to start with, then more.

I'm tempted to just throw them away and be done with it, but that feels bad because they were a gift for the girls. What does the MN jury say?

My dd (8) has a bar of chocolate most days. She knows she only allowed one sweet a day at the most. If she asks & i say no shes not bothered.

My dd would eat all day everyday if she was allowed. Shes fit, healthy & very active.

I think restricting any kind of food could be dangerous to kids as some have pointed out that people may end up with eating/food problems.

I don't know on this. In an ideal world I would prefer my dcs to have fewer sweets. I rarely buy chocolate or sweets for them (if ever). But grandparents do and my own grandmother visits every week with a little pack of jelly sweets and insists they eat them in front of her, as she 'likes to see them enjoy it.' I turn a blind eye.

If it were me, I'd give the dds a couple of sweets and throw the rest away. A couple really won't do any harm. Agree, sugar doesn't make kids hyper. It is better for dc's teeth for them to have a few sweets occasionally than massive amounts of naturally occuring sugars in raisins, oranges and juice - which I bet many health conscious parents dole out without restriction.

What I think I will do is keep some aside and give the rest away. One pack is tangy ones, which I very much doubt DD1 will like anyway. DH has volunteered to take them to work and share them there how noble of him. He's new there so that would earn him brownie points with his colleagues, so I think I'll probably let him do that.

I find that DH is usually quite pleased when i pull out some hidden away goodies for us to enjoy on an evening. I sometimes hide a handful of sweets away in a drawer for myself too so that i don't get annoyed when the box is empty as he eats them all before i get a look in. I don't think we are on the brink of separation over it. Have just asked him if he minds to double check and he doesn't.