Sweet stuff

Ours has had a small bit of chocolate maybe 3-4 times now - like one small chocolate coin from his stocking on Christmas, tiny bit of cake for his second birthday. We pretty much stick to ‘natural sugars’ like fruit though. I’ve seen a couple times at nursery the ‘dessert’ has been ice cream and I’m curious what type and how much but haven’t asked 😅 I don’t think you need to introduce that kind of thing now by any means! And if you do then yeah moderation is key

We introduced chocolate buttons just before Christmas and I wish we'd held out a bit longer cos she loves to shout for them now 😂 she still likes her fruit and healthy snacks she just asks for chocolate buttons instead sometimes. We give them maybe a couple of times a month, 6 buttons at a time. Ice cream she has very occasionally out and loves it but doesn't ask at home. We made cupcakes a few weeks ago for the first time and she loved making them more than eating. Our plan was to give her things but not make them a big deal, for the most part I think it's working, the only thing she's gone wild for is the buttons 😂 I don't think there's any issue not having them but I figured she's an age now where I'd rather she didn't just find out chocolate existed and we'd withheld it or something in case that made it more enticing 🤷🏼‍♀️ and she was going to find out cos we spent Xmas with her cousins who have chocolate spread wraps for breakfast... She didn't spot that and was happy with her cereal lol

Mine had a few licks of ice cream in the summer and now occasionally gets ice cream too but has never had cake (only raw, no sugar no dairy healthy type of cake for her birthday) but hasn’t had any kind of sweets. I think it’s brilliant! As long as you don’t make a big deal out of it they will be fine.

I would say it causes issues not allowing it in moderation - we had a child at school who when he started going to parties he binge at the treats at the party and made himself sick as he was never allowed it . Everything in moderation is best x

My little one has it in moderation, certainly not everyday! Maybe save it for more "special" occasions like Easter, if there's a party with a buffet, if you go out for dinner etc! Or you could make your own things so you know what's going into it like healthy cookies (i have made banana and pb ones before) , gelatine sweets etc x

Mine was 1 year before being able to have cake etc and I weaned with vegetable purees first before having fruit purees this definitely helped me

I’ve allowed my son to have sweet treats only because I didn’t want to create any curiosity around it all and for him to desperately want it. He will now happily say no to chocolate and biscuits and have fruit instead. And other times he will take the biscuits. All kids are different

Our LO has chocolate now and again, i was rationed as a child and I'm sure that's why I'm so obsessed now and always have been. Otherwise I make sure LO has a balanced diet and LO is very active, I feel if you give them it during the day when they are playing then it's better as they burn it off. Teeth wise, it's better to give the sugary food with meals, it's meant to do less damage and to wash down with water so the sugar doesn't sit on their teeth. X