This post is brought to you by a thread on my baby board for E, where people (women, mostly) post questions and comments about various things child and life related. This particular thread was called something like "Why Does Everyone Give My Child Sugar?" The poster basically was saying that at every family gathering she goes to, someone always offers her son (16 months old) a cookie, candy, or something else that has sugar in it and that she gets so upset by it. Apparently, a 16 month old baby will either choke, go crazy, get super hyper, get ADHD, or even have poor health for the rest of his/her life because of that one sugared goody. I was amazed to read the comments attached to the thread where everyone was agreeing with the original poster. Are you KIDDING me?
First off, this woman is one of those people that I absolutely abhor. For some reason, when you offer a child something that you enjoy and think the child would enjoy (let's say, a cookie), you are A) insulting the parents, B) overstepping your boundaries and trying to "parent" the child, C) offering the child POISON POISON POISON!, and D) another multitude of things that deserve a lecture and offending insults for the horrible behavior you just tried to commit what were you thinking? These people come off as snobbish, hoity-toity, incredibly overprotective, helicoptering, and as people that you wouldn't want to spend more than two seconds with in any situation. Have they not looked at the situation from someone else's eyes? You see a child you like, you have something that you enjoy and think they might too, so you offer some to the child. HOW does this end up deserving of the backlash these people give?!??
If you are a person that has chosen not to give sugar to your child (whether at all or on a regular basis), that's completely your choice. Natural sugars, like those found in fruits, are probably best anyway. It's a parenting choice you have made with your partner and that's fine. However, the caveat here is how you react to other people who do not follow the same practice. Please please PLEASE be polite when turning down a sugary treat for your child. People don't do it to insult you or overstep their bounds into your parenting - they do it because they like your child and want to make your child happy. Sometimes a food treat is the way to do it, they think. There is also no need to lecture people on the harmful nature of sugar in general, how it causes hyperactivity (which has actually been shown, in countless studies, to be perceived and not actually happening), and how they are poisoning their own offspring by allowing them to imbibe in the horrible fruit of the cane. Just a nice "no thank you" would do. That's it. The crazy people on my baby board really chill and have a lollipop.
My children get sweets every now and then, but it's not like it's a normal part of their day. Yes, I give my children juice at lunch time (GASP!), and yes, I don't mind giving them a sucker now and then for good behavior. However, they are just as likely to jump up and down pleading for me to give them a banana, oyster crackers, or even plain white rice (if you can believe it) as they are for sugary treats. To each their own, and let's respect that. All us mommies need to learn how to just get along and pick our battles with others, not within ourselves.
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