Do You Give Your Kids Candy ?

[CrazyBagLady]

Now how can you NOT give a kid some candy. Its part of being a kid. Its fun for them and it makes them happy. I had candy as a kid, I still like it, my kids had it and my grandkids get it.
I think when we put too many taboos on our kids, they want it more and get all kinds of food disorders. People basically eat what they need. Unless they get all kinds of restrictions put on them as small children, they grow up to be uptight adults with eating problems. Feed them healthy meals and a sweet treat here and there wont hurt them.
I dont really think sugar makes kids hyper. When I was raising my kids they had candy, but what they didnt have was soda with every meal, like the kids today have, they drank milk, or juice. NO SODA. They didnt eat fast food, french fries that are drenched with lard like mcdonalds. Processed bread, I used to make my own, they never ate anything in a "box"..it was all fresh. All that being considered....a candy bar didnt really hurt them. The processed diet the kids and most adults eat today...combined with candy...no wonder there is so many health problems we see today.

 

[Japster]

My girls are 3 and 5 and I generally give them only Sugar-Free candy. Like the Baskin Robin's Sugar free candy. They really don't know the difference, so it's no big deal.
They pretty much only drink milk or water too.

 

[coco-nut]

My four year old son gets candy on Halloween and Easter, and he's surprisingly good about only eating a bit each day afterwards. He actually made his Easter candy last about three weeks.

I've never given candy as a reward and don't expect to ever do it. But we sometimes have chocolates for dessert because my husband likes it. I guess I don't really consider it candy - it's just dessert.

 

[Traci]

I let them have candy sometimes. Not often but once in a while. I say "NO" so many times and then like to surprise them when it's going to be a "YES". They like it, but not overly.

 

[lulilu]

"No my kids dont get candy, pop or any type of junk food."

My mum is British and grew up in NZ. We had no candy as kids and I never knew what McD's was. As a result, candy became this wonderous, "forbidden" thing. (Altho I must confess, my kids never had fast food either and they now are always out with friends getting some kind of fast food.)
A friend's mom never cooked and often left money on the kitchen counter for them to go to McD's. She is now a complete health food/type fanatic.
Moderation in all things. Don't make anything seem too unavailable/interesting.

 

[ashleyby]

I never really had candy as a child, and I'm glad I didn't, because that kept me away from it, and I hate candy now...with the exception of milk chocolate

 

[RozzieJ]

I let them have candy sometimes. Not often but once in a while. I say "NO" so many times and then like to surprise them when it's going to be a "YES". They like it, but not overly.

My handsome son is not a big sweets eater, nor is he big on fast food, he would much rather sit down to a home cooked meal. My darling daughter on the other hand is the total opposite, she would love to if I let her eat candy, chips, and fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So like tr444 said I say "NO" so many times to candy and other junk that every now and again I'll say "YES" and surprise the heck outta them.

We're from Philly, the summers can get a little hot, and the City of Brotherly Love is known for water ice and soft pretzels. I can't resist a Cherry & Mango water ice w/a soft pretzel myself, so in the summer months the whole family over indulges in Rita's or Morrones Water Ice quite a bit.....yuuummm I can't wait until after dinner tonight

 

[Selena]

We treat all foods the same. Everything in moderation. I dont forbid any foods from my kids. I really think if you make the candy this big event then it becomes more important then it is.

"No my kids dont get candy, pop or any type of junk food."

My mum is British and grew up in NZ. We had no candy as kids and I never knew what McD's was. As a result, candy became this wonderous, "forbidden" thing. (Altho I must confess, my kids never had fast food either and they now are always out with friends getting some kind of fast food.)
A friend's mom never cooked and often left money on the kitchen counter for them to go to McD's. She is now a complete health food/type fanatic.
Moderation in all things. Don't make anything seem too unavailable/interesting.

 

[twinkie]

You want to hear irony???

My son hates candy. With the exception of chocolate flavored DumDum suckers. He will eat no other candy.

The great irony???

I WORK FOR HERSHEYS!!!!

Try not being overweight when you could literally open a small candy store with the amount of samples I have laying around my house.

 

[jstreete]

i don't reward my 2 year old with candy. actually, i really don't let him eat candy. as a substitute for sweets i give him fruit, sometimes i'll give him a popsicle. he's got enough energy. he bounces off the walls when i give him his gummy vitamin.

 

[Marly]

Can't avoid candy in this world! It lurks behind every corner, and sometimes takes on a different disguise. Lots of food products are loaded with candy!

I don't have candy lying around the house but I do bake cookies, etc. as a special treat when I have the urge.
I have definitely given my kids candy-lolipops come to mind,etc., but
I feel everything in moderation is fine- especially if my kids are getting a well balanced diet at home and have learned how to incorporate the proper food groups into their life, then they are prepared to handle some candy out there...

I reward my kids in different ways- by getting certain privileges, or earning that something that they've wanted- or by giving them more responsibility (staying out at a friends, etc.)

 

[acegirl]

I don't keep candy readily available in the house although they can have it on occasion. I don't reward them for good behavior with it (as mentioned before, I expect good behavior, candy or not) but they do get it as a special treat from time to time. I've also told them that too much candy can give you a belly ache & to be sure to brush their teeth after eating it. We eat very healthy in my home, most everything low fat or baked, lots of fruits & veggies... so I know my kids have a good diet.

I think forbidding it & making it off limits will only make your kids want it more in the long run. They will end up sneaking it at school or at a friends house... kids shouldn't feel bad about wanting a sucker.

 

[hardLVcore!]

Crack for toddlers!!! When we had my six year olds first Halloween party at age 3, I couldn't believe it! We had hopped up kids running all over the place, it was histerical, but fun. But it wasn't funny hearing everday "candy, candy, candy, pleeeeease candy" like a broken record for weeks afterward and to catch him climbing up to the top of the fridge via counter and chair to get it!!! He put some serious effort into getting up there and we didn't think he knew it was there.:blink: He still can sniff it out from anywhere, even if I leave a piece of afterdinner mint in my bag in the closet.
We don't use candy as a reward, we set goals like a movie or xbox time or having someone over. I am lucky, my son his veggies and happily eats carrots, broccolli, apples ect. It's his dad that I have to fight with to eat his greens !
We will give candy in certain situations like Bday parties and Holidays, so he does associate candy with special occasions as a treat, and we can get some serious good behavior mileage when that happens

 

[manolo maven]

My kids love candy, and I let them have it...fast food, too! Life is short, too short to say no to french fries and chocolate! They're both ultra-healthy thank God (my daughter just finished elementary school and never missed ONE day of school -- not a single one, since kindergarden!). My son is a little muscle man, lean and strong and healthy also. Neither has ever had a cavity. I don't see anything wrong with letting them enjoy it. They eat healthy stuff too, but I see nothing wrong with fun and junky stuff from time to time!

 

[Shelley]

Now how can you NOT give a kid some candy. Its part of being a kid. Its fun for them and it makes them happy. I had candy as a kid, I still like it, my kids had it and my grandkids get it.
I think when we put too many taboos on our kids, they want it more and get all kinds of food disorders. People basically eat what they need. Unless they get all kinds of restrictions put on them as small children, they grow up to be uptight adults with eating problems. Feed them healthy meals and a sweet treat here and there wont hurt them.
I dont really think sugar makes kids hyper. When I was raising my kids they had candy, but what they didnt have was soda with every meal, like the kids today have, they drank milk, or juice. NO SODA. They didnt eat fast food, french fries that are drenched with lard like mcdonalds. Processed bread, I used to make my own, they never ate anything in a "box"..it was all fresh. All that being considered....a candy bar didnt really hurt them. The processed diet the kids and most adults eat today...combined with candy...no wonder there is so many health problems we see today.

My thoughts exactly. I have a very active healthy 6 yr. old daughter. Especially at parties, sleepover, she definately gets a little extra candy We have no soda in our home and very conscious about what we eat, non processed foods. If my daughter wants a cookie, we make them from scratch. She also get a ton of exercise, which most children, sadly, are lacking these days. We don't have cable, videogames, so we play a lot of board games as a family and play mostly outside, which is what I did when I was growing up.

Now days, most kids go home play videogames and eat junk food.
Everything in moderation is fine.