Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not let DD have sweets, juice etc

51 replies

crazycatlady81 · 19/03/2015 14:25

Would I be seen as "weird" not to give my DD any (she is just a baby at the moment). I was allowed loads of sweets and unlimited fizzy drinks as a child and it didn't do me any harm (that I know of- I'm a healthy weight, have no fillings etc). I don't tend to drink anything bar water (and coffee now) and do not have a sweet tooth at all. It just doesn't sit right with me when I think about giving DD juice, chocolate bars, crisps etc. I think if she just never has fizzy juice (coke etc) then she won't bother with it? I am sure I will give her the occasional sweet treat eg chocolate bar, ice cream but not all the time and certainly not until she's older? My cousin has sent me a picture of her 6 month old eating some chocolate Easter egg and I just think- why ConfusedConfused

What age did you start giving your DC things like that?

She only drinks formula milk or water at the moment. No baby juice etc and I would be pissed off if someone eg. my mum gave her it whilst babysitting.

AIBU

OP posts:
CaulkheadUpNorth · 19/03/2015 14:28

Ah give her a few fruit shoots. She'll be fine.

ShatnersBassoon · 19/03/2015 14:30

No need to decide now. See how you feel in the future.

Original poster
crazycatlady81 · 19/03/2015 14:30

I know that she would be fine (I used to drink fruit shoots as a child everyday for my packed lunch) but I just think why? When she could just have water/milk.

I think I'm probably being stupid and over protective

OP posts:
Sirzy · 19/03/2015 14:30

I have always been quite laid back and at 5 ds will generally pick a carrot or some fruit over chocolate and doesn't like sweets.

Drinks wise he has just started having the occasional lemonade but otherwise he doesn't have pop

Thesnowmansnose · 19/03/2015 14:31

you can give her whatever you like, and I agree, don't run into it. But she'll get GIVEN loads of sticky rubbish as the years go past, and I think you're on much shakier ground if you take it away.
DC1 had nothing but pure stuff for ages. DC3 was practically weaned onto coffee and cake (not really, but you get what I mean...)

Umbrelladilemma · 19/03/2015 14:31

Good luck OP Smile

BastardGoDarkly · 19/03/2015 14:32

She's going to taste them, and she's going to like and want them, how you control her intake is up to you.

WorraLiberty · 19/03/2015 14:32

Yeah, just play it by ear and see at what age she starts asking for them.

I'm a firm believer in moderation and not making anything seem more attractive by forbidding it.

26Point2Miles · 19/03/2015 14:33

What does her other parent think? That's the opinion you need not ours

FuckItBucket · 19/03/2015 14:33

Son has it all. No restrictions.

He isn't a chocolate fiend who is after. Fruit shoot fix every 5 minutes Grin

googoodolly · 19/03/2015 14:34

I think it's fine to limit it when they're babies, but I think as they get older, it's counter-productive. You can't ban it forever and it's best they have it in moderation at home first instead of binging at a party or whatever when they're 3.

Everything in moderation is healthier than banning foods outright, I think.

girliefriend · 19/03/2015 14:35

I think you can certainly try however once they get to be school age or going to parties it will be nearly impossible to police.

Fwiw I was very strict with my dd until she was 3yo ish and then gave up relaxed the rules a bit, everything in moderation and all that.

splodgeses · 19/03/2015 14:35

I don't think YABU, I did the same with my dc. I grew up much like you and I am still healthy and really don't have a sweet tooth.

However, you will probably find it a better idea to allow treats (a wide range ie Wotsits to lemonade) occasionally as I had a few embarrassing incidents.

DD (at age 4) ran away from the tables of food after someone offered her Wotsits because she had no idea what they were.

At her first 'tea at a friends house' she refused to eat anything because "you can't cook in a metal box" and spaghetti carbonara "doesn't come out of a jar."

She was a little excluded from social circles because of this. But after introducing some snack type junk foods, as an occasional treat, she was seen as less of a weirdo Grin

I won't even mention the 'turkey dinosaur' conversation

Anyway, I don't give chocolate or sweets unless it is for an achievement such as a 'well done' postcard sent home from the teacher. I really don't think they miss out, if you do allow them, very very rarely.

There are a few absolute food bans in place though, including Coca Cola, energy drinks and fizzy sugar covered sweets.

HTH

Allstoppedup · 19/03/2015 14:35

I was kind of in the same frame of mind but alas my 15 month old can recognise a milky bar buttons logo at 50 paces...

He learned the word 'please' I think purely to solicit treats off his grandparents. I try and keep his diet healthy and balanced and generally he just has water and milk but I have relaxed massively about treats if I'm honest.

It's your baby and your choice but as long as he isn't exclusively fed junk I don't think it's the work of the devil. Particularly if the grandparents are babysitting.

I am a real stickler for tooth brushing though...that's non-negotiable!

notsolovely · 19/03/2015 14:36

No need to make that decision now. If someone is looking after her tell them not to give her fruit shoots. Personally, I don't allow sweets and juice very often. I certainly don't ban it. Aside from medical reasons, I don't see why you would. She will eventually go to other peoples houses and parties so will eat them occasionally. As for your cousin, its not really your concern what she does and I am sure her baby didn't each much of the Easter egg.

m0therofdragons · 19/03/2015 14:37

Dd was 1 when she first had chocolate and 3 when she had anything other than water and milk. With hindsight I was strict and she's now the dc I worry about re food - borderline under weight and makes worrying comments now she's 7 that mean I keep a close eye re anorexia. Dtds are 3 and allowed everything in moderation. They have a far better relationship with food. I really believe banning all sweets can cause far bigger issues and being more laid back is much better.
That said, little ones really don't need to rush into sweets etc so just go with the flow.

YellowTulips · 19/03/2015 14:37

My DS is 11 and still only drinks milk or water most of the time.

I've not really ever stopped him drinking juice - I just don't buy it so he's never really got a taste for it.

He will have it at friends houses but he's not fussed. He hates sweets (chocolate is a different story) and again we never had them in the house or even offered them as a treat .

So I don't think YABU, but I wouldn't ban these things per se (you want what you can't have) rather just don't have them around but be relaxed about having them at parties etc when older (thinks back to the inevitable mother insisting at every party her poor kid couldn't eat cake/drink juice and the kid nicking food from other kids).

MonstrousRatbag · 19/03/2015 14:38

I can see why you're thinking about it, because we know a lot more about the unhealthiness of sugar now than when we were small, but blanket bans are hard and may backfire (as soon as they are independent they could be ramming in 25 KitKats a day. Better to teach them moderation than feast or famine). Pick a middle way that works for you.

For example, my children never have juice at home. I was determined not to let them get into the habit of refusing water and always demanding a flavoured drink, and the juice ban worked.

I'm more relaxed about cake and biscuits. We have them every now and then at the weekend, they help to make them (best way to get children engaged with food and cooking), plus you can control the sugar content and avoid trans fats. We don't have any pudding after meals except yoghurt or fruit.

Sweets are even more occasional.

I try not to reward with sweets or cake, they just appear now and then like manna from heaven.

SomewhereIBelong · 19/03/2015 14:40

I would limit whilst you can - it is easy to choose not to give them crap when they can't make a case for it themselves..

now they are older it is not so easy, so we just assk them to keep stuff like that to during or after meals. not too much fizzy, not too many sweets - certainly not gone down the "something sweet in the lunchbox every day" route that most parents here seem to follow.

DDs are both fit, lean and healthy with good teeth. (despite me having a genetic tooth crumbling condition - hopefully they have not picked up that gene)

PookBob · 19/03/2015 14:42

My friends DS is 5 and not allowed any treats. He is obsessed by squash as he is only allowed water or milk. Every time he comes to play he stands in the kitchen begging for squash. Literally begging. If there is a birthday at school and each child is given a bag of haribo or something, he has to hand it over to his mum at pick up time. Never to be seen again.

That kid will have food issues in later life for sure.

YouBetterWerk · 19/03/2015 14:43

I agree you don't need to worry about it right now but I would just advise a word of caution - I was bought up with no sweets, juice or snacks anywhere (not health reasons we were just really poor ) and it gave me a bit of a complex tbh. At friends houses who I knew had the 'sweet draw' etc I would just gorge myself and couldn't understand why they never did the same. I suppose it's a case of you want what you can't have. I still have to be very mindful even now, and used to have terrible binging episodes on all the things I couldn't have because I still see it as a massive treat.
Again, just something to be aware of, don't need to worry about it for now, and good luck when you do Smile

Number3cometome · 19/03/2015 14:43

DS (12) hates fizzy drinks and sweets. Very fussy about cakes and stuff too, very much a savoury child.

DD (7) loves anything sweet or fizzy.

Both brought up exactly the same. Kids will make their own choices, it is up to you to guide and limit those choices sensibly.

Totality22 · 19/03/2015 14:43

I remember years ago my Mum used to look after a boy who wasn't allowed sweets.

Mum found him in the bin when she popped to the loo (he was 5 or 6 at the time) as he had seen my Dad throw away a bit of a croissant.

I personally disagree with banning anything as it sets up a negative association.... as others say moderation is key.

DS didn't really have anything sweet until he started going to parties [after he was fully weaned] Even now he only has a fruit shoot if he gets it elsewhere as I never buy them....

I do give the occasional biscuit / choccie buttons usually as bribery and we do have some sweet stuff that we allow. DS loved Brioche so I do get that in every now and then... but I don't keep oodles of sweet stuff.

I do however have to give him dilute. Not much but he doesn't drink water and is a sufferer of chronic constipation so fluid is essential and this is the most efficient way of getting him to drink enoug.

Grumpyoldblonde · 19/03/2015 14:43

After the age of about 3 nothing was really forbidden for my daughter (now 11) we used to have a burger and chips every couple of weeks, she could have a Coke on a lovely day if I was having one, a bar of chocolate if she fancied it and had a lot of fruit shoots for a couple of years, which she now thinks are babyish. She went through a couple of years in Primary where she seemed to exist on Junk food but has now come out "the other side" and is eating a much better and varied diet of fruit, veg, etc - she has a couple of friends who were never allowed any form of junk food and I just know that when they are older it will be rivers of fizz and endless chips because they have never had this. Anyway, enjoy your baby and feed her whatever you think is right, I just think that outright bans can go the other way in time.

Number3cometome · 19/03/2015 14:44

I should say both of my children are tall and slim, both do not have any teeth issues / fillings etc.

Swipe left for the next trending thread