DS (8) secretly eating 'treats'

[MooMinCow]

don't know where else to post this, so bear with me if this is the wrong area!

We saw some family over the weekend and DH's aunt bought some of those M&S tubs of mini treats for the kids, which I stashed away in a kitchen cupboard. Opened them Monday so kids could have a couple each. When I opened cupboard last night the whole tub was empty (but had been put back). I checked that DH hadn't scoffed them, then this morning found chocolate brownie crumbs on kitchen floor and another tub 3/4's empty.

I asked DS (8) to be honest and tell me if he had eaten them (dd is only 3 so can't be her) and he admitted he had eaten them before breakfast (he's often first one downstairs in morning). I tried not to freak out but explained that these are treats to be shared occasionally and not really breakfast food. I tried not to say they were 'bad' as I don't believe any food should be classed as good or bad (just depends on how much you eat of it). Have told him I won't be keeping any more 'treats' in the house until I feel he can be trusted not to eat them all. dH says he will speak to him later after work, but I'm feeling so sad that he feels the need to sneak around - why?

dS has always had a sweet tooth, but is it getting out of control? I have found chocolate wrappers under his bed before also.

Have to go to work now, and feel like shit and world's worst mother at the moment . I don't want to make a big deal of it, but I feel it needs to be addressed - help please?

Why does he feel the need to do tthis in secret do you think? Mine just nags me for things...and she either gets them or not...does he get enough to eat generally? Can he make his own breakfast if he is up first?

Where had he got the chocolate from when you found it under his bed? Do you have lot's of treats in the cupboard as a rule?

Sorry for all the questions! Just tryng to get a picture of the family's eating habits so I can understand why he felt he had to hide.

I cant control my chocolate eating and if I have it in the house will eat it. I used to eat all of my week's treats in the first day as a kid and my brother hardly got anything :( I ended up quite a plump teenager. FWIW the only way I can control this (I am a slim adult) is to not have the stuff in the house. It isnt a psychological problem, just chocolate addiction.

My dc have a Tupperware box each with 'treats' in that they are allowed to eat when they want. They both have a couple of little Easter eggs left in there I think and they put the sweets they get from parties and things in there.

I started doing it as I live 'abroad' and you can't leave sweets etc lying around. One of my dc left an apple core on a bookshelf one night and in the morning it was a sea of ants.

Anyway (returns to point) it seems to work quite well as they are able to have a treat when they want, like we do.

They are very controlled about it. I was surprised as they are not really allowed to ask for food generally and they hardly get any treats at all.

hello klitty - he has a varied diet and is able to make toast/cereal (for DD too bless him). the chocolates were at Xmas (big tin of quality street given to us)

I had noticed he was filling out a bit and have increased his activities as he otherwise slobs in front of tv/computer. have told him he can have fruit when he likes (like at school). it's not hunger IMO, he has a sweet tooth and doesn't know when to stop.

when I was younger my parents never kept sweets etc in the house, but I was allowed to go every Saturday with my dad to the corner shop and choose whatever I wanted (god that sounds so Victorian doesn't it?), but I used to savour and look forward to my sat trip.

dunno, what do I do?

No....it's not Victorian! I did the exact same thing....I got a pound on Saturday and I immediately bought a can of coke, a flake and a packet of crisps!

We had no crisps or pop in our house...not even squash! We drank water or milk. Pop and crisps were got in for special occassions!

I still don't buy them really now I have my own family, they're ceratinly not part of our weekly shop....I buy a packet of chocolate biscuits...and maybe I will bake muffins or a cake in the week...and that's it.

Any puddings tend to be yogurts or soft fruit....it's mainly because I eat too muh crap if it's there.

The kids don't seem to mind....they sometimes have hot choclate for a treat but are usually swigging water or milk! If we go to a cafe r restaurant I let them order what they like though....as it's a treat.....we do that once a fortnight on average.

If DS has a tendency to overeat then maybe you would be better not havivng the stuff in...at least until he levels out a bit.