Not to want my dd to have sweets

[ilovemyflipflops]

Am i alone here. She is two next week and i have never given her anything like sweets, cakes, crisps.. I think i'm the only mum with a toddler her age who doesn't give her child these type of snacks. Why do i feel mean when really they aren't 'treats' as they aren't good for anyone. When around other peoples houses i feel like i keep having to say, she doesn't eat that, really don't want to give her a sweet tooth so young.. She really enjoys fruit and healthy snacks, to her they are her treats so why do i feel like other people think i'm an old meany...

Surely theres absolutely no point giving a baby/toddler, that doesn't know what something is, sugary stuff? I've always believed in the saying, can't miss what you've never had.

but a bit of crap makes life fun

Whether you have fillings or not is in a large part down to inherited genes. Some people have much stronger teeth than others.

I agree with all things in moderation. I love a bar of chocolate now and again - why shouldn't my kids?

I don't mind a bit of chocolate but am anti things like chuppa chup lollies. Everything in moderation I think. I was a bit like FAQ - sweets and chocolate were banned in my house and consequently when I got to my teenage years I binged on junk. My son is too young yet (23wks) for it to be an issue but I want to encourage healthy eating. Also it's easier with a first child to keep them off sweets and junk for longer. When they have older siblings the 'no sweets' rule is harder to keep to.

My DS also thought fruit and and healthy snacks were treats for a long time. Even now at 7, Soreen or malt loaf is "cake" You're right that you can't miss what you've never had as he never missed the dummy I never gave him either.

Just bear in mind though there will come a point very soon at which you will have to let her - parties, even school etc. Trying to continue to deny her by then simply won't work, but being consistent at home will make things easier.

Otherwise, as your DD has reached 2 without them, not only do I think YANBU, but you deserve a round of applause!

god how boring would life be with no ice cream, no hot choclate, no apple pie and custard, no sticky toffee pudding etc etc.....

And think of all those yummy main courses that have sweet things in them (sweet and sour dishes, Hawaiian pizza, apple sauce with pork, cranberry sauce.......

IMO if they eat fruit - then they could have a sweet tooth - some fruit are loaded with natural sugar - it's just deemed to be "ok" because it's fruit........but the sugar in them (afaik) can cause the same damage to teeth if they're not cleaned properly as a pack of Haribo's.

On the fillings issue, I brush my teeth twice a day and floss daily. I drink water, never fizzy drinks, and my sugary food intake is relatively low as I'm always watching my weight.

On my last trip to the dentist, I was told I needed an extraction, 3 fillings and root canal...

Sadly, I think the fillings issue COULD be down to bad luck sometimes! For the record, both my parents have/had terrible teeth. Is it genetic?

As for the sweets, my dc only have sweets at the weekend at home, but if they are offered them elsewhere at other times, I say "go ahead". Surely everything in moderation is more achievable and realistic than a blanket ban?

You could be grinding your teeeth at night cupoftea
Or hidden sugar in a favourite food?

Yes but fruit and natural sugars are generaly not sticky and sticky foods can be a particular problem because they are more likely to remain on the surface of the teeth. Not to mention all the other shite that's in Haribos etc.

And I agree, my kids love 'old fashioned' puddings with ice cream or custard. This is the sort of thing they view as a treat.

I hate using food as "treats" - sorry I really do, I think is can cause major food issues in the future if certain foodstuffs are regarded as treats and somehow "dangerous" "bad" "crap" etc.

If natural sugars are so "safe" why is it recommended to dilute even natural fruit juice down before letting young children drink it??

Agree that haribo is just utter shite!

It's a good point about fruit FAQ - everyone thinks it's ok cos fruit = healthy but actually they are packed with sugar.

mrsruffalo- I've never considered whether I grind my teeth at night-I'll have to ask dh!

My dcs have never had fruit juice either!

very good of you keeping sweets off your child but i have experience that 2 yr old went party and whole chocolate gauteux on her own while party was going in the lounge and dining. she went extremely crazy, was covered in chocs and it was all over floor. tbh, i felt sorry for her, as she never had cake, chocolate,sweets, drinks only water not even fruit juice. i would not put my child in such state.
imho,little bit is ok. as long as they dont eat too much.obviously its up to parent.

yanbu

i am still frowned on for the same views

The dds (12 and 10) have no fillings! Huzzah, huzzah, bring on the trumpets!

Oh hang on. They have eaten rather a lot of sweets and biscuits and cake in their lifetime. Is it still a big huzzah for me?

Good on you.I have never given my 18mo old sweets or cakes. It makes me cringe when I see my friends give their dcs sweets,biscuits and...COKE!omg! And then they talk to my dd in a "Oh poor thing not allowed sweets type way"

YANBU, I did the same at that age as I too see no point in forcing an introduction to non-food and empty calories. And no, my DD hasn't turned into a sweet and rubbish guzzler at parties, instead she actually appreciates real food. Only in the UK are people surprised that she'll choose a breadstick over a biscuit and will turn down sugary drinks, where I live we get no eye rolling whatsoever.

Now she's a bit older a little crap is creeping in, other than cakes and biscuits she has the odd crisp (like, twice a eyar but we don't live in crisp-land) and is allowed chocolate and occasionally sweets, but more often than not she'll choose focaccia or bread over those.

Fine if it works for you so YANBU, however.....I wouldn't personally go down the route of a total ban...it will end in tears.

Surely common sense would say, not at home, but perhaps ok at parties/other peoples houses etc..

Agree with others who say sweets are a part of childhood.

The need for fillings is not always down to eating habits. If the mother needs antibiotics whilst she is pregnant, then that child's teeth may not have formed properly (usually thin enamel) the same goes for small babies taking antibiotics. Some people have a genetic predisposition to bad teeth.

I love baking cakes and sticky pudding and I view it as a vital way to get extra nutrients and calories into my children. I can see why you might be afraid of sweets but they only need become an 'issue' if you demonise food (dangerous territory IMO).

At 18 months there is no reason for your DC to have come across sweets, but at some point your DC will discover them. Why don;t you look into Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall? He has some wonderful recipes for all sorts of goodies and you will know exactly what is going into the food.

YANBU - I wish I had done it - unfortunately I eat chocolate and so they do to. No sweets though, that's because I dont.

A lot of people seem to think the only issue is teeth, but I think the big thing is empty calories - fruit is sweet but it has vitamins in it, whereas sweets have no redeeming features apart from taste (and that is a matter of opinion.)

If I were you I would do the same as my sister has with meat. They are veggie, at home the kids (aged 5 and 2) dont eat meat but outside the house, they eat it if it is going/they choose it. That why it doesnt become an issue.

at only 2 kids in a class of 30 with no fillings! would they get fillings if their teeth are brushed regularly and properly? Ridiculous that small children are given sweets - yes fine when they are big enough to go to woolies and have fun choosing a few, but for pre-schoolers - completely unnecessary, and actually cruel and negeltful if the parents also can't be bothered to clean theri teeth and they end up with fillings and all unnecessary pain and misery that causes?

That's just it, for me it was the empty calories issue, especially at an age where every mouthful ahd to count nutrient wise. I have no problem with sugar per se (although I avoid adding sugar to foods), we eat fruit and dried fruit in our house, but I see no need for haribo or fizzy drinks (sugar + zero vitamins/minerals + a cocktail of dubious additives).

I also see no point in encouraging processed food. The early years are invaluable for shaping taste buds and future dietary preferences and I don't understand why salt/hydrogenated fat/msg laden items should be a part of that.

yanbu, was the same with ds. He has the odd biscuit or bit of chocolate now and then and manages to eat it slowly and not tear place up looking for more, as he's been so 'deprived'.

While he's tiny I control what he eats and drinks, at some point it will all be down to him and I'd like him to have at least had an experience of a healthy diet.

YANBU its good that you are providing a healthy diet. Teeth can be down to genes I have a very sweet tooth (which I do try to control) however am 32 and no fillings!I would like to repeat a statement Ive heard from a dietician 'there is no such thing as bad foods, just bad diets'. What children eat overall on a daily basis is what really makes the difference to their long term health.