I have only very recently been allowing my daughter of 23-months to have sweets of any kind. She eats very healthy food and loves it. In order to not have her develop a feeling that candy or sweets are forbidden, I have begun to offer her a sucker or a cookie once in a while. But when she finishes the cookie or candy, she throws a fit screaming, "More please More please." I don't give in, because I have a No-means-No policy, but it makes me want to never give her a treat if she can't just be happy with what she gets.
Any suggestions?
Thanks everyone. I think the trial has already passed. I have beent explaining to her that she only gets one treat and then she is done. She understands now and today the whole time she said, "My treat all done" and I let her out of the high chair. She only gets treats once in a while. I am a very health conscious mother. I make all my own food, we don't buy processed food and every meal she eats is nutritious and balanced. I do believe that if I make treats forbidden that she will want them more when she gets older and I want her to learn early that treats are enjoyable and fine in moderation.
Quit. That easy.
At best go to a Better Health or Whole Foods and find something healthy to offer. Maybe she's too young to be a sweets junkie.
Hi K.---I guess my advice would be to not give her any sweet treats just yet, if at all. Sugar is a very addictive food and she is not able to rationalize just one piece when her brain is saying 'more, we need this stuff'.
With what I am learning in my Wellness Classes, I wouldn't ever worry about that fight just yet. Candy serves no other purpose other than a treat with empty calories, so it is not needed. I have friends who don't offer them. As their kids grow and then are exposed to a birthday cake, for example, they have a bite or two and then are ok with that and walk away. It is much better for our health in the long run to be able to do that. I know from experience as a sugarholic, it is difficult, if not impossible, to stop eating a treat once I've started.
Another little tip I've learned from the doctors and dieticians I work with: sugar makes the immune system lazy, basically rendering it dormant for 4-6 hours after a can of pop and a candy bar. Watch those Halloween treats and dole them out spaaringly. Our immune systems are going to be specially challenged this winter. It doesn't need any negative help from us.
Good luck and feel free to call me if you have questions about this post! In health, D. ###-###-####
What has worked recently with my toddler, is telling her WHEN she CAN do something or have something... If she is upset because she wants something that she can't have right now and I say "after nap you can have a snack" , or "tomorrow we will go to the park" she repeats that back to me and seems to be fairly content knowing that she will get what she wants in the future... I try to follow through.... good luck!
How about giving her water with her treat? That way she will fill up more and water is always good.
Just keep doing what you are doing. She will learn that she only gets one soon enough. Maybe before giving her the treat, remind her that when it is gone there will be no more just to help manage her expectations. Her behavior is totally normal though for a (almost) two year old.
K., this is a phase that she is going through, just stick it out and she will learn. My daughter now 26 months old did this same thing around 20 months old. Then it only lasted about a month or so. So stick to your No means No policy she eventually get it.
I explain to my daughter that this is it, you get no more, before i give it to her. then i make sure she understands by saying ok, or repeating it back to me no more. then i give her the treat. my daughter is 2 1/2, but i have been doing this for awhile, you will be surprised how much they actually understand
shes acting her age. thats what they do when they don't get something all the time. Just keep to your guns on not giving in. but don't feel she doesn't appreciate it. She sonly acting her age. She appreciates it later on when she understands better and gets older.
Make it more of a privalge. We use treats as a special treat and they know to stop at one and are happy to have that treat. Like if you eat all of you dinner tonight (not everynight) you can have a treat. If you say please and thank you you get a sticker and if you get 10 stickers you get a treat. things like that. Good luck
K.; its perfectly ok to not give it to her too, if she does well with other stuff she dont need it,but once in a while can be good too, but i would say would you like a treat ? but you can only have one, if you throw a fit when its gone then you cant have it, do you want it ? she may also be hungry and eating just a little bit may trigger hunger? so try to offer treat after a meal, when she is full, or partially full, not a treat between meals, then she may actually need more, so maybe if its time for a sucker or something, give it a few minutes after a meal, like when you would have dessert, kids like to eat at difff times, as well as us adults, they say eat every few hours, but eat good, so keep being the great mom and keep up that good feeding, they dont NEED snacks and stuff, its perfectly fine too to have no sugars, not giving it to her does not make you a bad mom, its the opposite, i think you have found a balance, and i think the way you have been doing it is great, keep up the good work, i think it triggers hunger and she is still hungry, have a good day D. s
