I was chatting with another mama after a field trip (yeah!). My darling daughter was asking if she could have some gum. Gum. How I dislike thee. The smacking. The loss of flavor. The stuck in my hair as a child. The stuck in my child's hair. The untruths about staying in your stomach for 7 years. The seeing if it'll really stick to your amazing toy from Chuck E Cheese and the sadness and ridiculous tantrum when your mom makes you throw both of them away.
So, my kids love gum. They each got a pack following the church Christmas program. I used to get an orange and a few pieces of candy. :)
Anyway, I was chatting with Monica about gum sharing that I let the kids have one piece a day if we happen to have it (rarely!). She does the same thing. I'm not anti candy. I think it is tasty, especially caramel things. Yummy. Be careful Shanda: you are about to go on a tangent! :) So, I do this rationing thing with Halloween candy, Christmas candy, Valentines Day candy, Easter candy, parade candy, birthday party candy, pinata candy, and all the other bunches of candy that somehow make it into my house. How is this possible?!? I let them choose something each day and eventually . . .
a.it runs out.
b. they forget about it.
c. some crazy adult raids the stash.
Learn what eating a bunch of candy feels like.
Learn what it means to save your candy while your sibling does not.
Learn what it means to leave it in a place where little sister (who crawled into her crib today: YIKES!) can get into it.
I'm not sure how I feel about it. I think it might be good. I also think my kids might be too young to handle it--or too young to make me deal with the aftermath--because I would be the one dealing with the sugar highs. Gary didn't think it sounded like a fabulous idea. What to you do? Do you like it? Do you live in a magical place where children receive only two pieces of candy at a time? Help out this mama.
2 comments:
oh, that's a tough one.
i'd have to say, since i'm a (self admitting) micro-managing-mother, i like the control of NOT letting them have it whenever they want.
since we do not allow them to eat upstairs, it must be consumed, in the kitchen, which is usually where i am.
i've done the 'have it whenever you want' deal and let me tell you, it was a nightmare!!
candy wrappers everywhere!! (last night i found a half eaten Almond Joy bar in one of their drawers....no one likes Almond Joys). but really, would it be too much work to walk it over to the trast, a mere 5 inches away??
i think not.
for me personally, i prefer that candy stays in MY reach.
naturally,for totally GOOD reasons. :)
so...to answer your question, i have no idea......
when you get the 'right' answer, let me know. :)
i agree w/trac~there's no right way. we have a candy cupboard and the kids are pretty much allowed to 'have at it' (although they're older). i've never really been candy police, and i wonder if that's why our kids don't eat it like crazy. i recently cleaned out candy from about 1995!! i have candy out in dishes all the time and i'm always throwing it out. (except for the dark kisses~BACK AWAY FROM THE DISH!) but i have a friend who doesn't really let her kids have candy and when they come over they're like little crazies...it's kind of funny.
so the thing is~i like the way you're doing it~they're still getting it but in moderation. although i do like the idea of letting them find out what it's like to get sick, etc. BUT, whatever you do...do NOT share your black jelly beans in this way~it doesn't come back pretty. just sayin'
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