I seem to cringe at the sight or sound of a toddler, baby, or young child being rewarded or just given choclate to eat. Why are we starting our kids out so young eating badwhen they would be fine without knowing chocolate is at this age.
Tammy – I have two babies 1 & 2 and I work very hard to feed them right.
I am with you all the way. Children that young are forming their eating habits and do not need the chocoalte and junk food at all in their diet. It messes up their diets and makes them very picky eaters when older. Chocolate has no nutritional value anyway-my 3 boys had treats that were healthy-banana chips-craisins-healthy things that help them form their tastes when older.
February 24th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
We didn’t give our child any chocolate or sugar (if possible) until he was 2. Now he is in crazy shape and not some dumb ADD kid.
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February 24th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
No my kids have always liked candy & chocolate but they also eat whats good for them also.
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February 24th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Young children may lack the enzyme to break down chocolate.
Beside the fact that the sugar is bad for their teeth.
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February 25th, 2010 at 12:16 am
I agree, I wouldn’t give kids candy personally (well, not on a day to day basis anyway).
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February 25th, 2010 at 12:36 am
We do it because we know they’re going to like it and we want to make them happy. That’s what being a parent is all about!
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February 25th, 2010 at 12:52 am
i do
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February 25th, 2010 at 1:10 am
baby or toddler=no chocolate
kid=yes chocolate (some). jeez, it’s just chocolate.
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February 25th, 2010 at 1:36 am
Not just that, but those are the kids more likely to be grossly overweight later on when they’re only about 10 years old. We’re raising a generation of people who will have to worry about heart attacks and strokes at 15.
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February 25th, 2010 at 2:20 am
Yeah I agree, people should be giving their babies healthy foods…now real chocolate is actually good for your health! Try to stay away from that milk-chocolate crap!
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February 25th, 2010 at 2:42 am
If i had a kid I would only give them one desert or candy a day. I don’t want them craving it every couple minutes.
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February 25th, 2010 at 3:03 am
What is wrong with chocolate?!?! Both of my children love chocolate, but they also know how to eat right and eat their vegetables… they especially enjoy going to the Farmer’s Market and picking out fresh fruits and veggies each week!
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February 25th, 2010 at 3:50 am
yes i totally agree with you! my sister always gave her kids chocolate, and i dont think its right, because it can give kids a sweet tooth, and can also make them overweight. And what do you know.. both of my sisters kids are overweight. and they are so hyper too!!! i have a 7 month old baby girl, and i would never give her chocolate, atleast not till shes 5 or so. i want her to eat healthy, and get off to a good start.
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mother of a 7 month old baby girl
February 25th, 2010 at 3:56 am
I am with you all the way. Children that young are forming their eating habits and do not need the chocoalte and junk food at all in their diet. It messes up their diets and makes them very picky eaters when older. Chocolate has no nutritional value anyway-my 3 boys had treats that were healthy-banana chips-craisins-healthy things that help them form their tastes when older.
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February 25th, 2010 at 4:12 am
I sooo agree. I have to fight off my mom’s coworkers and my mother in law when they try to give him whatever candy they have in their pockets without thinking twice – they even try to give him hard candies like jolly ranchers and he just turned 1! My MIL even brought him a thing of cotton candy yesterday – like I want my baby ingesting PURE SUGAR!!! I did get him a little chocolate cake to destroy for his first birthday, though.
EDIT: I think the main issue is the overfeeding of sweets and using them as a reward. Personally, my problem is with people not thinking about my son’s age and the appropriateness of what they are trying to give him (such as jolly ranchers, which are an obvious choking hazard). I also agree that you can’t deny your child a bite of your junk food when you allow them to eat everything else off your plate! Luckily, I’m not a big junk food eater anyway.
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February 25th, 2010 at 4:58 am
I totally agree with you. Chocolate contains too much sugar that could lead to diabetes and caffeine for children, and for adults for that matter. Consumed in small quantiles it is OK, but to eat an entire chocolate bar is not healthy.
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February 25th, 2010 at 5:38 am
The same thing happened to me when my mom introduced me to chicken.
I’ve always been fond of chicken. I have a few pet chickens. They have the greatest personalities.
I’m sure you’re thinking that I am out of my mind, but would you mind if I say that it would be considerably more strange if someone had a pet chocolate?
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February 25th, 2010 at 6:15 am
my kids don’t get chocolate or candy on a daily basis, but every once in a while they are allowed a sweet, usually their grandmother gives it to them and i don’t interfer, it makes the kids happy, and grandmother happy, and they don’t get to see her too often (maybe once a month) so no harm. they still eat healthy, and really look forward to seeing my mum LOL
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February 25th, 2010 at 6:47 am
That is so sad to see. I had a friend that would let her NINE MONTH OLD drink her coke!!!! I didnt say anything at the time because it was before I had a baby and didnt understand but now that I have my son I counldnt imagine. They dont even know what chocolate is, why give it to them so they want it. ahhh it irritates me.
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February 25th, 2010 at 7:09 am
My boys sometimes get an oreo.. But that’s rarely. I do not keep junk in the house. It needs to be through moderation. Some parents just do not say no, or they say no and cave in because the baby is hungry. Its like ever heard of a vegetable? And then the fast food problems. No wonder why America is overweight, there is a McDonald’s on every block, and no parks.
Thankfully, my boys get nutritious foods.
I also cannot stand it when they say its too much money to eat nutritious foods. We grow our own tomatoes, figs, apples, etc… It does not cost that much.
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February 25th, 2010 at 7:22 am
I hate to see babies/toddlers eating anything sugary, but I’m really conservative about that. Unfortunately, my three year old discovered all kinds of sugar at a relative’s house, and it’s all over now.
For anyone with a family history of allergies, chocolate should not be given to a child until age three. I was super strict with that one because we have so many allergies in our clan. I figured that if I accidentally caused my daughter to be allergic to chocolate, when I could have prevented it by delaying the introduction of it, she’d kill me later on. I’m glad I waited. Now she loves m&m’s.
I once almost freaked out when a friend gave her 8 month old a powdered donut. Another friend had an elaborate reward scheme for potty training, something like two m&m’s for peeing in the potty, three for trying to poop, four for pooping. I thought it was crazy. (Oh, I love my friend dearly, but the reward system didn’t end up working.)
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February 25th, 2010 at 7:46 am
I personally don’t think giving children chocolate or candy is all that bad of a thing. my 2 year old son likes it occasionally as a treat, i’ll give him a peice of candy as a reward sometimes yes i have other rewards for him like a star chart but a peice is fine every now and then, children need to learn about all different kinds of foods and explore tastes and that is a good way to do it.. chocolate isn’t all that bad for you and learning that young isn’t all that bad of a thing
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February 25th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Chocolate is just another food. It is so important now days to teach our kids the importance of a balanced diet. There is no reason why chocolate can’t be a part of that. I have a 6year old, a 2 year old and a 1 year old they have never been denied any sort of food and I am proud of their eating habits. When I take the 2 little ones shopping they will quiet happily sit in the trolley and munch on a punnet of cherry tomatoes as a chocolate bar. My 6 year old goes to parties and complains if there are too many lollies and not enough real food. You don’t mention if you have kids of your own – I would guess not though cause if you did you would understand that you can’t hide these things from kids forever and teaching them is way better than denying them.
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February 25th, 2010 at 8:52 am
I agree. I didn’t give my son a taste of lollies or chocolate until he was about 18 months old. And then all it was, was a little, tiny, taste. I do not have that stuff in the house. If kids see it, they think it is something they can eat in place of a normal meal.
I remember watching my sister in law giving her 1 year old daughter chocolate for no reason except that it was there and because she said she wanted it. Of course one chocolate turned into two which turned into four – and do you think she ate her tea that night?? And then do you think she went to bed quickly and quietly? No, of course she didn’t. She was on a sugar high. And my sister in law has had a weight problem all her life and continues to struggle to keep weight off. That’s what makes me think how silly some parents are.
I do not deny my child treats – but that’s exactly what they are. A treat. Being the last in both sides of the family to have kids I have watched others give their children junk food, lollies and sweet drinks and been able to sit back and enjoy the fireworks!! I have one nephew/niece that are badly behaved, undisciplined, rude and hyper and I do not want my kids to end up like them thanks!
Each to their own!
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February 25th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Chocolate isn’t that unhealthy if you mean real chocolate not milk chocolate. It has antioxidants and other healthy things.
If you can never eat sweets, junk, etc in front of your child then more power to you. But teaching them "This food is better/only for mommy" is even more harmful than letting the kid have a bite.
If he can have a bite of my sandwich, and a bite of my apple, and a drink of my milk, and a bit of pasta, etc. Then if I am having a cookie he gets a bite. Then he doesn’t think cookies are better than apples. It is all just food.
You know there have been studies that show that kids who are never allowed to have sweets always overeat to the extreme when given the opportunity to have them -and there will always be an opportunity.
You raise your kids your way, and I will raise my kids my way. But really the odd bit of cookie, chips, or chocolate is the least of my concern about how anyone parents their kids.
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February 25th, 2010 at 9:35 am
i very very rarely let my kids have chocolate (they’re 16mths) and if i do its only a couple of sucks. I get very mad when my mother & mother in law give them chocolate/ junk food and neglect to tell me – i am trying to establish healthy eating habits(and because of them its very hard). As they get older and know that a little bit here and there is fine, thats when they’ll have it a bit more often -There is nothing worse than a child who will only eat junk food and doesn’t know what a vegetable is
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February 25th, 2010 at 9:48 am
my son is 14 months old and we DON’T give him chocolate or sweets and i don’t plan on introducing it until after 18 months of age, and only as a treat. offering kids candy as a reward is a BAD IDEA. trust me, i was a fat kid who was given candy as a reward, and now that i’m an adult i still have weight issues that i worry will be passed on to my son.
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February 25th, 2010 at 9:55 am
I so agree with you!! My sister-in-law (and her parents) would give her daughter those Cadburys chocolate buttons to eat when she was just 3 months old. I remember nearly passing out from shock when I first saw my father-in-law shove a chocolate button into that baby’s mouth. She wasn’t even close to weaning yet they all though she’d love to eat some chocolate. Now, at 5 years of age, my niece won’t eat any fruit or veg and literally lives off of junk food. She doesn’t eat regular meals and doesn’t sleep well at night because of all the sugar she eats and drinks. It’s disgusting but hey, you reap what you sow.
I hate the sight of babies and toddlers eating chocolate and junk. In my opinion it’s just lazy parenting. I’ve seen so many little ones placated during a tantrum with a king size bar of Kit-Kat. My daughter just turned 2 and my husband and I always make sure she eats well. I know that when she’s older she’ll more than likely be buying sweets on the way home from school but at least I can be proud that I started her out on the right path..just like my parents did with me and my brother.
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February 25th, 2010 at 10:13 am
I’ve only given my daughter sugar once-on her first b-day I gave her a bite of cake which she didn’t like so I didn’t push her to eat it. I have had a couple of friends giver her a bite of cookie once or twice and it doesn’t freak me out but if they would have asked first I would have said no. She’s also never eaten fast food or juice or soda. I just don’t understand why we would give them sugar, candy, chocolate, junk, etc. She eats great and loves food-it’s just all healthy.
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February 25th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I am perfect and I never give my perfect children anything except hugs and stickers.
My perfect children are at a perfect weight, have perfect teeth and are perfectly behaved. Furthermore my perfect children never ever ask for demon food (aka chocolate or candy or pop) because this will violate my need for having a perfect world.
My kids have always begged for, cried for and pleaded for whole wheat crackers with a shmear of natural peanut butter and a slice of fresh danjou pear. They cry and curl up in fetal positions if grandma comes over with the devil candy.
Bad Grandma! The Devil’s Advocate is what we mockingly refer to her as.
Isn’t it nice to be perfect? We should join arms and march up the Capitol steps and protest anybody being parents unless they’re perfect like us.
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