How I regulate sweets with my kids
Set up the expectation
Once your child begins eating solids, the expectation begins. The foods that you fed them will shape their understanding of food. As they grow and learn more about communication, likes/dislikes, and rules, this is your prime time to develop their interest in healthy foods. Do not introduce sweets as long as possible, and if you do, don’t make it a habit. It’s our human nature to LOVE sugar, for a good reason, our bodies need it. But not as much as we’re eating nowadays.
Have a consistent, specific time that your child can expect to have a sweet
Children thrive with structure. Avoid creating an expectation of getting sweets multiple times a day, such as with or after every meal or when they get home from school, etc. Don’t let sweets take over their life like an addiction. I know it might not seem that serious, but it is. Food choices begin in our childhood and become habits that affect the rest of our life. The same way you might regulate screen time (what they watch and when they watch), regulating sweets will teach the child that there is a time and place for everything.
Control your own sweet cravings (or at least don’t eat sweets in front of them)
Monkey see, monkey wanna do. You’re the parent, you regulate it. But it sure is harder to regulate yourself. If you have a sweet tooth, try to avoid your own temptations around your children so you don’t get caught in the “can I have one, can I have one mommy”. If you need help with your own sweets cravings, working with a nutrition coach can help. :)
Try “less sugary” sweet options
Now the time has come that you are allowing your child to have a sweet. Instead of giving them a processed, highly sweetened cupcake, try offering healthier sweet options like fruit popsicles or low sugar cookies. In a perfect world, we would prepare all of our food for our children so we know exactly what is going in their food and we can control the ingredients/amounts. How realistic this is only according to your own situation. So for the mommas out there who need a product list of “healthier” sweets that you can buy, reach out to me and I will send you a list.
Have a conversation with the grandparents about indulging them with sweets everytime they see their grandchildren
This is probably the hardest one to follow, in my opinion. Grandparents are known for spoiling their grandchildren and I’m not here to ruin that. However! You can have a simple conversation about limitations and make suggestions.
