I’m a pretty lax mom when it comes to my kids eating candy. Sweets are a part of childhood and I don’t stress over the boys having a little bit. I know that I provide them with a balanced diet of fresh fruits and veggies, plenty of dairy and protein. And I brush their teeth religiously. They usually have a lollipop or some other small candy in the bath as their dessert. I’m fine with the grandmothers giving them candy or letting them eat four cookies in one sitting (and this happens more that I’d like to admit). They have a high level of physical activity each day so whatever crap calories they consume, they surely burn it off with their daily antics.
That being said…
I cannot allow what has been going on in this house lately. Easter has sent Wildman over the edge. He’s been sneaking candy, hiding a stash in his room, consuming sweets on the sly, etc. It’s driving me nuts. If he would just ask me, I would let him have a piece or two. But this sneaking business I just cannot tolerate. Despite repeated requests to stop taking and eating candy without permission he still does it. I’ve even threatened to throw away every last piece of candy in the house if he continued to sneak candy. My blustering did no good.
This morning was the last straw. This morning called for swift and dramatic action- for me to make good on my threats! Do you know what I discovered when I woke up this morning at the unusually late time of 8:30 AM? I knew it was too quiet. Why hadn’t the boys woken us up per normal their normal protocol?
Well, I’ll tell you.
Wildman had set up a veritable picnic of Easter candy in his room. He had taken the cute Easter egg tissue paper out of his Nana’s gift and spread it on the floor like a blanket. Then he proceeded to open and set out various candy courses for a feast. There was the chocolate bunny meat course (that had already been consumed by the time I’d arrived), the open lollipop assortment (to cleanse the pallet, I imagine), the pile of open Smarties for appetizers, the Starbursts (fruit course?)… I could go on and on.
I stared at my boys feast of sugary delights with my mouth agape in horror. I didn’t yell at them. I calmly walked over to the picnic spread, picked it up in a single swoop and marched it to the trash can. I told Wildman that there would be no more of this. The candy was going away once and for all. I threw away close to 5 lbs. of candy this morning. I had to make the sugar addicts go cold turkey. It had gotten out of control!
Then I asked Wildman to go through the remaining plastic eggs in his basket and throw away any candy that he found. He thought it was some sort of game and was more than willing to help. There were no tears or protests, thankfully. I’m sure he saw this day coming.
Just between you and I there is a secret hidden Ziploc bag of the “good” stuff that I reserved. But everything else bit the dust. I couldn’t throw out everything… like the chocolate… The boys don’t have to know that though.
Has this kind of thing ever happened in your family? What did you do?
Adventures of Four 