how often do your kids have sweets?

[thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat]

and do you have "rules" about when/why etc? and - while we're at it - has anyone successfully introduced new rules? esp re childminders or nannies and sweets?

Lottie has never had a sweet
She's had chocolate buttons a handful of times though but I have started giving her little chopped apricots in yoghurt instead.
She was given a lollipop once and I just didn't take the wrapper off it, and she was quite happy just playing with it.
She does eat the odd biscuit - but they are usually fig rolls. And she does eat cakes but normally carrot cake or bana loaf or something.

I had sweets all the time as a kid, was a size 8 up to my early/mid 20's and have never had a filling.

wow thomcat!!! good going!

is there a reason you don't want her to have them? apart from teeth etc?

My ds is 3 in 2 weeks and has never had a sweet or chocolate. I have kept it away from him. No biscuits either or ice cream in fact poor boy doesn't know of the delights of the sugar rush like his mum does! This will all change when he goes to pre-school in a few weeks I'm sure -but perhaps when other children try to feed him a lolly or something he will go yuk! lol-no chance! I'll be prepared to be more relaxed as he is around others more I'll have to be I won't be there to check! The preschool talked about him having a birthday party and that a swiss roll would be bought...I told her he's never had a cake like that but she looked at me as if I were a cruel mama....so I will have to relax on some stuff!

can i ask why?

Teeth & health really just didn't want to start any bad habits at a young age - didn't want to get into a situation where I was going to be asked for sweets..but as I said it is all going to change soon and I want him to experience what other kids do...(when he hears the ice cream van - he calls it the music van!!) As I write I can see that I appear a little harsh...but really he doesn't know about it and so doesn't miss it.

wasn't insinuating that you were harsh.just wondering why you had implemented such a total ban. curious is all.

My DS is only 15 months and never has "sweets" - I personally feel that the longer I can get away with not giving him the better. Having said that we do let him have the occasional homemade cake or the odd rich tea biscuit. All round he is a very good eater and has has a fab varied healthy diet.

However I can understand how it might not be so easy to get away with it for this long with #2 when DS gets to the age where he realises other kids get sweets and #2 wants what DS has got! (no #2 on the horizon yet but just thinking ahead!)

I managed to subsitute healthy treats for sweets til they were about 3. Then things slid - mainly due to parties/outside influence etc. Now I believe in everything in moderation. They will ask for sweets every day, but depends when they ask! If they ask for some choc and they've eaten a good healthy tea and it's not too soon befor bedtime then fine! If they've been little b*ers, not eaten good food or ask right before bedtime then, no!
ds2 isn't allowed really cacky chewy sweets cos he has weak enamel. ds1 is old enough to take his pocket money and buy whatever he damn well chooses But I have to say, they never nag, or have a paddy about it if I say no. And they never spend all the money available on sweets and will often just buy one. And they will sometimes buy me a sweety too
They don't have fizzy drinks though.

alexsmilitantmum - you're welcome to ask hon. There isn't a real reason tbh. I think I just wanted to be health as poss. don't get me wrong she eats chicken nuggets and chips, pizzas etc but I just delayed sweets. It then got to the satge where I just thought what was the point of offering for the sake of it. She has special needs and seems to be unaware of their existence tbh. If people buy her sweets I just put them in the bin and she doesn't notice they are missing. She has Down's syndrome and people with DS have a tendadcy to gain weight later in life so I just wanted to limit sugary things. She has also never drunk juice, only water, milk or the water left over from steaming veggies. Like I say though she does have the odd bit of chocolate (given by other people mainly) and the odd packet of crips, sausage roll, pizza etc, I've just managed to avaoid sweets and until she discovers they exist I'll keep it that way.

We go for sweets after dinner. Married to a dentist so know that a 'sweety day' is no better than what we do. Also we love cake and chocolate too (in moderation). DD1 (4.5) loves salad, veg and fruit (honestly) so don't sweat about the 'rubbish'. Today discovered DD1 much better entertained with some chocolate and a drink while I bf DD2 whilst out shopping in the lovely mothercare nursing room (central Birmingham incidentaly) than the mini etch a sketch I bought to entertain her!