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When do you think kids should start eating sweets? I don’t keep sweets in the house, but special occasions are special occasions. I don’t think my daughter knew anything about the sweets until just was over 2 years old. However, I always kept an eye on grandparents – they always tried to snick something. In their opinion sweets make kids grow good and kind (I am not joking). When is too young to have a sweet treat? Who was the first person to give your little one something sweet to eat? Does your family avoid sweets? Eat them every day?
Ashley: My son is only 14 months, so no, he does not get sweets every day, or often at all. He had his first taste of vanilla ice cream at 11 months and LOVED it. Surprise surprise! He of course had cake at his first birthday, and I’ve let him have a cookie, ice cream, or cake every once and awhile. Usually just if we are out to a nice restaurant and it is a special occasion. He has enough energy as is. He does not need the extra sugar!
Gena: We were anti sweets with our first, but then we became house parents at a children’s home when he was 15 months old. He quickly learned about sweets and candy and we are still fighting this battle at 3 1/2. It’s so hard when everyone thinks its so cute to give kids candy….they’re everywhere!!
Gena: Grandparents…I guess they always have to spoil their grandkids, right?? Both of my boys didn’t have any sweets until their first birthday cake. Can I just say how much I loathe people feeding stuff to my babies without asking? It’s like…here, 9 month old, have some frosting. um, no.
Leila: I don’t remember who gave who their first sweet. I think my daughter got pumpkin pie and whipped cream at her first Thanksgiving so she was 11 months old. Even now at 4 and 6, they get sweets as a “treat”, but it’s fairly rare. I’d say less than once a week? We aren’t big fans of sweets and frankly, my kids would prefer fruits and water over candy and juice any day!
Ashley: I’ll admit, it was me who gave me son his first taste of sweets aka the ice cream. It was St. Patrick’s Day and I figure what the hey! We were just in a celebratory mood and we were just 2 weeks from his first birthday. My parents are anti-sweets so I doubt he gets any sugar when he’s with them. We aren’t really a “sweets” family, so like I said before, it only happens on the rarest of occasions.
Valerie: I don’t really remember when they got their first sweets – prob around their first birthday. Now at 5 and 7 – I do limit them but they get them.
Ghada: I can’t remember who gave my son his first sweets either but it was probably me or my husband. It’s not an everyday treat and I don’t stress about it too much as he has a love of fruits, veg and water instilled in him. We’ve taught to reach for an apple or banana and make sure he can always easily find them.
The situation was different with my second one. Since my daughter was already having an occasional ice cream treads, my son started getting bits and pieces of it when he was barely 12 months. Not like I can say, “You sister can have it , but you can’t”
Thank you for your valuable input Ashley of Maryland Momma’s Rambles & Reviews, Gena of Life With Captain, Lena of Way2Goodlife, Leila of Life as Leels, Valerie of Valerie’s Reviews, and Ghada of Mama goes BAM
Expecting mom? New mom? Know one?
Check out tips, tricks, and other great articles on Advice for a New Mom page
I personally wouldn’t give sugary treats to a child under 1. We gave our daughter a cupcake for her 1st birthday and she didn’t want it. Now she’s almost 3, and after two Halloweens and attending multiple birthday parties, she’s all about the candy and ice cream and Popsicles. But we don’t keep these in the house and she knows these treats are for special occasions so she is always asking if it’s Halloween or someone’s birthday yet.
Sweet Treats are fine when limited and in small amounts.
I try to let my daughter (age 7) make up her own mind on sweets. We have never let her go in excess when it comes to sweets but the choice has always been her’s on if she wants a cupcake or strawberries for example. She on her own often chooses healthy over not as we have educated her on the nutrition of each. My friends always comment on why I have a large candy dish on my counter that is always filled with sweets. It is just always there and my daughter has never paid any attention to it at all. Even when given the choice she chooses to drink water instead of soda and it is all because we have never limited it and so now those ‘sweets’ are of no concern to her.
ah- I have given both my kids sugary treats under the age of 1. My philosophy is everything in moderation. I am also a pediatric dentist and will tell my patients that once in a blew moon, a cupcake is going to no harm. In terms of juice, I water everything down but they do get it.
As a child, my mother did not give me sweets until I was 5. I don’t like sweets for the most part, as an adult, and I think this is a direct relation. However, as a grandmother, my mom decided that MY kids needed sugars at under a year old and gave them candy without my permission. It did not make me happy. My kids are sugar fiends, and again, I think it is a direct relation to the age at which they were introduced to it.
I totally remember who gave my son his first sweet. I was at a Bill Knapps restaurant with my Grandma. She dearly loved their chocolate cake so she had a piece. She dipped her finger in the frosting and put it in my son’s mouth before I even knew what she he was doing.. he was about 6-8 months old. HIS EYES GOT SO BIG..he became very interested in Grandma!