How much icecream is too much icecream...

[mrschop]

DS has a smarties icecream every night after his dinner. He eats well otherwise, limited treats (maybe a biscuit or small bag of sweets in the afternoon).

But the icecream thing has become something of a habit: I let it as on the promise of his smarties treat he'll eat every scrap of his dinner without fuss. Previously we have had real problems getting him to eat properly. He's 3.5. If, pre-children, I'd have heard this story I'd have rolled my eyes and snorted at the lack of parental control!

Is it excessive to let him eat icecream every day? It is dairy, after all...

It's up to you. Personally, I wouldn't but there will be other people who would, so it's not for anyone else to say.

What do you think? It sounds like you are concerned (hence starting the thread). Is there anything else that he likes?

I am a bit concerned as I was previously fairly militant on the 'proper food' thing and have now found myself with a smartie fiend, of all things!

When DS1 was 2 we had something similar with mini rolls. It worked a treat. But after a few months he must have got sick of the sight of them and didn't touch another one for about a year! He's still a pretty good eater though

We went to Italy in May, and ds (3.6 at the time) ate nothing but ice cream for an entire week

He seemed to thrive well enough ..

Sounds like an expensive habit to form!

It is entirely your choice of course. I would say that Smarties icecream isn't what I would describe as "dairy" not in the same way as a yogurt or glass of milk anyway.

Commercially produced icecreams often have a lot of thickening agents and sugar etc, just check out the ingredients.

However your child, your choice and I am sure that my dds probably have "treats" that you might be a bit about.

Could you convince him to try a fromage frais with smarties in (home made)? He might enjoy making it.

The smarties icecreams are on sale in our local shop, £1.50 for 4 so quite cheap (& no doubt nasty...). Really, it just occurred to me that his behaviour at the table had improved quite markedly and that coincides with the daily treat!

On one hand I'm quite amused at myself (I didn't let him eat out for the first 18 months in a bid to avoid all non-organic produce...), but on the other, I guess I don't think it is a good habit to let him fall into! We might have to 'run out' of them soon.

I would be more concerned about the "every scrap of dinner" myself. i don't think it's a good idea to encourage children to eat more than they want. But I'm pretty hard line on the "Here's your dinner" wait a reasonable amount of time then clear plates school of parenting, so I'm probably not a good person to comment on this thread!