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Gimme some sugar, Sugar.

As you can see, I’m having a bit of trouble catching up on my jet lag, getting my children back on London time, and organizing photos of our trip to find time to say hi to all of you. But one of those photos made me think I should drop you a quick note, just in case you find yourself sitting there, wondering if a bit of sugar is really going to ruin your child for life. I know I’ve brought this up before, but I love letting you know what goes on in my house, lest you think it’s a case of, “do as I say, not as I do.”

I’ve heard a lot of people say that babies and young children shouldn’t have any sugar (or salt for that matter! Which is a shame, since a diet devoid of any sodium is certainly fatal at any age.), and I want to take 3 minutes to prove to you how strongly I don’ t believe this. I’m a fan of moderation and firmly believe that restricting any one food from a kid makes a child crave it all the more. Meaning the first time he gets a little pocket money, it’s Twinkies and Mars Bars until he pukes.
Anyway, Eva’s birthday month finally came to a close after the third (yes, THREE) party. Party one was on her real birthday and delivered a cupcake decorated in chocolate icing and mini M&M’s. She looked at it, picked off about 10 candies and then ate some polenta fries. Underwhelmed.
Party two was with cousin Olivia, her aunt and grandparents. All three girls were served giant white coconut cupcakes. Zoe shoved her face into hers, the other two ladies poked at the coconut and then went over to the table where chicken nuggets and blueberries awaited them.
Party three was back in London. I made a hideous English Sponge Bob cake mix, complete with brilliant yellow cake mix and its own tiny baking dish. Then I decorated it with good old Betty Crocker vanilla frosting and topped it with mini-marshmallows. It was really a sight to see. One of my friends saw the photos and asked if I had used packing peanuts to decorate. That’s how truly talented I am. Anyway, Eva enjoyed the candle, looked happily at the cake and then ate exactly 3 marshmallows. (Zoe, of course, was more than happy to vacuum up an entire slice).
Why am I sharing all this? Because a little sugar never killed anyone. And presenting a varied diet means a child can taste and explore all there is to discover in the great world of food. Maybe she’ll like her sweets, maybe she’ll prefer hummus. But in no way should you sacrifice a photo opportunity like a first birthday and a giant pile of frosting. It’s not everyday, after all.

Dr. Lara Zibners, Nov 04, 2010

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