My children's diet is my choice

[Alx7]

AIBU to think what my children eat shouldn't be up to other people, or be open to criticism.

What me? Hmmm if I have sugar on an empty stomach or if I just go bonkers and have some cheap and nasty gummy sweets.

I get a lot of grief from my family about sugar. My DD is 1 and we never give her things containing sugar (apart from fruit and veggies etc.) I also stop my husband giving her ketchup or sugar free squash because I want her to like water and not develop a taste for sweet things.

I was always given pudding after dinner as a child and I have a really troublesome sweet tooth now and a mouthful of fillings from my childhood. My family say I'm mean for giving away chocolates they gave her for Christmas and refusing Easter eggs etc. I just say "She's 1, she doesn't need that shit!" I don't think they would give her sugary food when I'm not around, maybe they do. I'll soon find out when she starts talking!

YANBU, if I found out my family were filling my child full of rubbish against my wishes regularly I'd be really pissed off, it undermines everything you work hard for at home. If it was a one off party or something, I'd let it go but totally ignoring your parenting choices is not ok in my opinion.

Just a reminder that humans do need salt though (naturally occurring is better obviously).

I rather liked tartex on Doriana crackers.

Weetabix and Ready Brek are high GI foods. The insulin spike etc of eating things like this is similar to eating sugar.

I would agree except if your child is morbidly obese

Even if a child is morbidly obese it’s not the place of joe public to stick their beak in. The only people it concerns are the child, it’s care givers and it’s doctors.

I used to believe “the kids don’t go crazy on sugar, it’s just excitement” research. Then one day the dog accidentally got hold of a packet of sweets and went berserk.

I guess DDog hadn’t read the research.

But you are right OP. Unless abusive what you feed your D.C. is your choice.

I also believe that the hyper-on-sugar thing has been disproved. Not that you shouldn't limit their intake if you can get away with it!

I believe it was ReadyBrek rather than weetabix and it was given to a very small baby (4 months I think)

I’ve watched my child drop weight she couldn’t afford to lose because I tried to follow the advice of she will eat if she gets hungry enough. f that. Some kids won’t. Some kids will starve. I’ve seen it. I’ve cried about it. I would be a bad parent if I didn’t stick to her acceptable list of foods. So I put up with strangers and worst of all family, feeling like they can comment about our pandering to her. One of these days I am going to snap and yell at them instead of politely changing the subject.

“Then one day the dog accidentally got hold of a packet of sweets and went berserk.“

And this is proof that children get hyper on sugar exactly how?

I used to believe “the kids don’t go crazy on sugar, it’s just excitement” research. Then one day the dog accidentally got hold of a packet of sweets and went berserk

Dogs aren’t children! Dogs can also die if they eat a small amount of chocolate, grapes or raisins. Doesn’t mean children will.

Purpleartichoke and more

For dinner most nights DS has half a plain baked potato, around half a cup of plain pasta shapes, some chopped pepper (red only), and a Babybel. Around once or twice a week he will eat chicken nuggets instead of the pasta but only Birds Eye Dippers ones and he'll have carrot sticks instead of the chopped pepper. Breakfast is always plain Weetabix and milk. Lunch is almost always "a sandwich" (one slice of bread folded over with a thin spread of smooth peanut butter), a yoghurt, and some cucumber slices.

Even more exhausting than the narrow list of acceptable foods is the extensive list of rules relating to how it has to be prepared and served. Food cannot touch other foods, it cannot be golden or toasted in colour as that means it's "burnt", no sauces, only food that is certain shapes or cut to certain shapes (slices, sticks, or twists), specific plate, specific cutlery, must be tepid or room temperature and not hot, it goes on and on.

ElinorRigby tartex sandwiches were a firm childhood favourite in our veggie house, in fact I lost my shit the other week when I found some in a local hippy shop and am currently having it on toast

I know someone who used to feed her baby Smash instant mash instead of baby food as it was “cheaper” .
Have no idea what happened to the poor kid

My point about the dog and the sweets was that the sudden change in behaviour from calm, placid dog to cartoon-like whirling dervish was shocking.

And yes, I realise dogs and children are different, but I am pretty sure that many other parents would think twice about sweets after seeing their impact on a dog.

What is it with grandparents and giving sugary foods? Does;'t make things easy as then they want more and more of it. I have this also. It;s only occasionally say at weekends but it's big bars of chocolate each and it's tricky...I let them have some of it now as feel banning it totally would be too hard and maybe make it worse. But it isn't very easy and they should respect your choice really. I think they see it as love and that is the problem. Where comfort food comes from.

What we tend to sometimes do is use it in baking such as make rocky road and stuff. also mine felt sick after eating too much so talked about that feeling which put them off a bit! and after that they only wanted a bit!

Wouldn't give it to a one year old though- what are they thinking!

So how is she managing to feed the chocolate and sweets? Are you there when it happens?

My children don’t go crazy after sugar, to be honest I thought this had been disproved?

Tbh, I've never ever seen a child go crazy after having sugar.

I've seen them go crazy for many other reasons and the parents blaming sugar, but that's about it.

“And yes, I realise dogs and children are different, but I am pretty sure that many other parents would think twice about sweets after seeing their impact on a dog.”

My dog nearly died and cost over £700 in vet’s bills when she stole 3 segments of chocolate orange. Not sure you can correlate.....

I don't believe the sugar hyperactivity thing. I think it's more likely over excitement when those things are withheld and then given. Life is peppered with social times that involve food and treats etc. As they grow older, they will decide for themselves but I think denying any sugar is bad as it demonises it and may make them want it more.
I agree with a healthy balanced diet and not giving sugar daily but I think one piece of homemade cake or a bit of jam in their porridge isn't going to ruin a child.

How old are you DC OP?

I feel a bit sad for them that they don't get treats tbh. You don't have to constantly fill them with sugar, but treats as rarely as youre giving them does seem a little mean. Unless of course they're under 3 and don't know these things exist.

Sadly I find the kids who are denied things like chocolate etc as children have serious food and weight issues often as adults, because they feel they were deprived and lack the ability to control themselves in later life.

I'm more a fan of everything in moderation op. I'm not sure I believe they have extreme reactions and find it more likely you are controlling around certain foods.