When you started giving your DC cake/biscuits/chocolate

[Meanmamma]

Curious as to when others first started giving their DC sugary treats. I’ve a sweet tooth myself and I get that my DC will at some point eat sugary treats in their life. I’m okay with this in moderation but my preference is to wait till DC is older, they have just turned 1. So far they have had a little cake for their birthday, a spoonful or two of ice cream to taste it and tiny amount of chocolate, again to taste it. I have done these as one off’s and would rather wait till DC is at least 2 or 3 before this is a more regular thing but I’m wondering if I’m being very mean? Husband feels I’m being too strict, my view is DC is still so little, it’s not necessary at this age, they like a range of foods, they’re happy with fruit for after something savoury, they’ve already got lots of teeth and I want to look after them as much as possible. Maybe I need to reassess things. Good to get other parents’ opinions

My second got it earlier and more reguarly than my first. First is now 6, second is only 1.5. Both have a healthy diet and a sprinkling of sweet foods too. I wouldn't say either has a sweet tooth. Both love savory foods with strong flavours like curry, pesto based sauces, mature cheddar cheese, nuts, garlic bread etc. They also enjoy ice cream and chocolate - we don't offer it as a given but I wouldn't say I strictly monitor it. So for me, moderation is key. Don't elevate the sweet food over the savory. It's just food, and they seem to treat it that way too...long may it last!

DD1 - I was a precious, irritating first time mum. Nothing until 12 months.
DD2 - about 6 months 😂 she nabbed a chunk of chocolate of her sister and inhaled it while I was busy cooking & not paying attention 😂

I’ve learnt it’s best to not be too strict or it becomes more of a big deal & this elusive thing that other kids can have & they can’t. Just be sensible with treats. Everything in moderation & an appropriate, child size portion. If we are out & their little pals are having cake or ice cream, so can they. On a hot day & the ice cream man appears, sure. You are only a kid once! If I want to reward my kids for something, they can absolutely pick a sweet treat as a reward! But that’s it for the day on a normal day, no more!

Is your little one going to nursery? Because they will have pudding there. DD2 has a menu where they have starter & a main for lunch and main & pudding for tea. Pudding is sometimes fruit, yoghurt etc but equally often ice cream, homemade cookie, homemade oat bar, pudding & custard ..

I gave mine the odd taste of chocolate/biscuits/cake etc from about 8 or 9 months as part of a balanced diet. I'm not restricting anything unless there's a medical reason to. Turns out he's not that bothered about it anyway and chooses fruit and yoghurt over treat stuff generally (he's 16 months now) Very unlike me!

He does like crisps though and if they're out, he won't eat anything else so I keep them in a cupboard unless he's having some.

My SIL was a lot stricter and found her children go a bit zany over food at parties as she's always been quite restrictive about treats.

I think there's not too much to worry about with regards to sugar and teeth if your child isn't having that much anyway.

In regards to teeth - my super strict stance on DD1 with sweets was wasted. She adored dried fruit as a toddler & ate loads of the stuff. As such, has 3 cavities from raisins & dried strawberries, mango etc .. our dentist says dried fruit is as bad, if not worse than sweets on their teeth 😭 I had no idea 😭 I thought we were doing a really good thing making sure she got lots of fruit instead of chocolate 😫

Mine were 3.
I made them muffins sweetened with banana and lots of fruit.

When my teens were little they had some friends who were only allowed sweets or cake or chocolate or fruit yoghurt for special occasions. In fact a couple of times at Easter the Mum binned Easter eggs family members gave them, then she eased up a bit and they were allowed an egg each. They ate loads of fresh mango and pineapple and as a result had cavities in their milk teeth.

You cant get away from sweet treats really and I think a sweet treat eg cake or chocolate or ice cream or a desert etc after dinner for example is better for their teeth than grazing on sweet things through the day .

Each to their own but older isn't one The guidance I've read has said at least two because of caffeine and refined sugar. Lots of adults project their own feelings onto little ones I think; if they're missing out because the parents aren't giving them shit.

With my first I waited till she was around 1 but I feel so guilty with my second, he has really bad recurring constipation and a little block of chocolate always seems to do the trick so he's has some chocolate every few days since he was 6 and a half months

When they ask. No need before that.

With a first child/children i.e. no older siblings, this isn't until they start going to birthday parties ime so around 3/4.

If they've got older siblings tends to be more like 18 months/2 ime.

DC1 was 2/3, DC2 more like 1. Like pps have said, first child doesn’t know what they are missing so it’s not harsh.

My eldest, not sure but definitely had birthday cake on their first birthday. I reckon they probably had cake a few times before that too from being around 8 months old maybe. Regularity of this type of thing increased a lot from being around 2. It was mostly social situations, I wouldn't really give chocolate or biscuits at home as a snack but if we were at someone's house, or in a cafe, or a party or whatever then I didn't feel it was fair to deny her if she could see others eating it. Obviously small portions. Chocolate I was particularly tough on til about 3, even now I won't let her have any after evening meal for example because I worry about the caffeine. She's about to turn 4. I have more difficulty since she was about 3 because people always bought her loads of chocolate etc and under 3 she would quickly forget about it so I could get away with giving her a very small amount and me and DH would eat the rest of it. However from being about 3 her memory improved so can't get away with that very much as she will remember it's there in the cupboard what x bought her etc. I also have a 6 month old, I'm assuming he will have more sugary crap younger because of eldest eating it in front of him. I'd always rather they eat cake/ice cream/pancakes with sauce etc i.e a proper dessert though than chocolate or sweets. As we are vegetarian though she very very rarely has sweets.

I agree with you OP. It's just not necessary at this age so why do it? I would let them eat sweet things if someone else gives them (eg at a birthday party) but otherwise I'd avoid them for a bit longer.

6 months and it wasn’t my choice.

My 18 month old prob has 3 biscuits a wk- like a custard cream, or digestive. She’s had the odd milk lolly. Hasn’t had any chocolate yet, and only drinks water or milk.
I’m actually way more anti squash than anti chocolate.

My eldest prob had these things around 2- she never had chewy sweets or lollies and now 4 thankfully hates them- though has a major chocolate tooth

DS had ice cream when he was about 10
Months old, but he's definitely had a croissant or two before that. Then he had donuts on his first birthday instead of a cake and he went wild for them.

I don't have a sweet tooth at all though, so we never have much in the way or sugary things or chocolate in the house. Generally only have sweet things if we're out or it's dessert with a meal.

(Not a Mumsnet teeny-tiny. Just prefer chips/crisps/pretzels to chocolate and cake )

We didn't give anything with refined sugar in until around 2 years and then we relaxed a little, but still don't give cake or biscuits routinely. She's only just eaten chocolate at 2y9m.

Before then I baked a lot of muffins and buns using banana and coconut oil to sweeten. She used to like these but now won't touch them, obviously because they're not sweet enough!

My DC was about 9 months tasting chocolate or a bit of a plain biscuit
13 months now, and is a brilliant eater. Very mixed and healthy so gets a little white button or two every few days and shares a rich tea or plain pancake with me each morning
I mostly give the little baby snacks like veggie sticks or puffs

My first was about a year before he got anything sweet, older for chocolate and only got a shop bought ice lolly at 3. My second had tried most foods by 9 months and I had her first chocolate and ice lolly before she turned one. It’s virtually impossible to allow the eldest something without the younger one having the same.