Heidi Crane

The food scenario thread was interesting, and it motivated me to post a
question/concern about my girl's eating habits.

I think I described her here not too long ago as eating lots of sugary
stuff. She even went through a phase of stealing money from family members,
and using it to buy candy. Well, about a week ago, she went through many
otter pops in the late evening(I didn't count them, but it was a lot). About
1:30 in the morning, she had an anxiety episode, where her chest was
hurting. This came about because she had gone out to call the dog, and the
dog didn't come to her. The dog was in her brother's room. This missing dog
caused Katie to worry, and her heart to thump and she felt like she was
going to throw up (reflux). I think the combination of all the sugar from
the many otter pops made her active and even hyper-active, then not finding
the dog caused the anxiety feelings. I told her all of this, and said "If
you eat sugary things this late at night, you're setting yourself up for
sleeplessness." Gave her some Pepto Bismol, stroked her back a little while,
and had her sleep in a reclining chair, to avoid any more reflux. She slept
fine after that.

Well, day before yesterday, she ate a ton of otter pops AGAIN. Not late at
night, it was in the afternoon. It didn't affect her emotional state or her
behavior, but it ticked me off, because she consumed more than two dozen
otter pops, leaving only three when we got home from running errands. I let
her know that I was quite angry about that, and considered it to be
extremely inconsiderate of the rest of the family for her to eat them up
like that. I didnt' shout, but I was adamant and my tone of voice was firm.
Her chin wobbled a bit and she said she was sorry, and had the brilliant
idea of making popsicles out of kool-aid.

They were YUMMY. She made probably 30 of them, and everyone had some...and
she sucked down by far the most of them. At one point she said "My lips are
burning!" but after a brief rest, she went back to chomping down on the
homemade popsicles. Again, she was consuming a lot of sugary stuff in the
late evening. I brought up the incident from last week, and I also asked
about her burning lips, but she wanted some more, so she had some more.

And at 4 o'clock this morning, she came to my bedroom and said "I haven't
been able to fall asleep all night. Can I sleep in here?" (hubby has a night
job) so she got in bed with me and wiggled around quite a bit, and fell
asleep eventually. I did say to her then, half groggy "it's all the sugar
in those kool-aid popsicles"

Okay. We took the controls off the food a long time ago, and I've watched
her gain some weight (though she always has been a hearty eater) I haven't
told her "you can't have those otter pops" and have even bought more, when
the current box has run out (pretty stinking fast). I didn't tell her last
night NOT to eat the homemade popsicles.

What should I do, if anything, the next time she starts sucking down the
otter pops, or the kool aid or whatever? Even the burning lips last night
didn't stop her from continuing to eat the popsicles. Should I have said
"Hey, slow down there, girl"? This child is not exhibiting much self control
here. Do I need to do something/say something to stop her? I think she's
hurting herself.

thanks

HeidiC

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In a message dated 6/18/2005 10:02:10 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
bunsofaluminum60@... writes:

I think the combination of all the sugar from
the many otter pops made her active and even hyper-active


HEY! I just wrote something about this, but not because I read this.
Sugar doesn't make kids hyperactive.

Caffein doesn't stunt their growth.

Old wives' tales. Old mean mom tales.

-=-I told her all of this, and said "If
you eat sugary things this late at night, you're setting yourself up for
sleeplessness."=-

I don't think this is true. It's worth looking into the blind studies done
with moms who were sure sugar caused hyperactivity. It didn't.

-=-Well, day before yesterday, she ate a ton of otter pops AGAIN.-=-

Otter pops are some of the cheapest things you could possibly buy, aren't
they? For anyone unfamiliar, an otter pop is a tube of plastic with flavored
water in it you freeze in the freezer, cut the end of the plastic off, and
squeeze the stuff out and eat it. It's like a popsicle in a tube, but not as
thick as popsicles (not as much flavor or sugar). They're unfrozen when you
buy them, so they're cheap to ship. You can freeze and melt and re-freeze; it
doesn't matter.

-=- I let her know that I was quite angry about that, and considered it to
be
extremely inconsiderate of the rest of the family for her to eat them up
like that. I didnt' shout, but I was adamant and my tone of voice was firm.
-=-

Your response probably did her more damage than 200 otter pops would've done.
Was the rest of the family really wanting Otter Pops? We have some we've
had for over a year; send them over here. I moved them from the storage
freezer into the kitchen to try to get rid of them.

-=-I haven't told her "you can't have those otter pops" -=-

WHAT? You just did. You told her she was extremely inconsiderate to have
had those otter pops. If you say "yes you can" and then get angry, that's
bigtime entrapment.

Can you make popsicles with juice instead of koolaid?
We use ice trays and the rings from Discovery Toys called "Boomerings." Put
the juice in the ice tray, stick a ring in each one, and it takes four or
five of them to be the equivalent of a small glass of juice. My kids will
still eat those, even though they're big guys. It's a quicky little bit of
coolness and juice. (other kinds of plastic rings would work, and then you can
wash the rings in the dishwasher by putting them over two posts, or in with
forks and spoons)

-=-What should I do, if anything, the next time she starts sucking down the
otter pops, or the kool aid or whatever?-=-

Maybe find a happier healthier substitute, or just don't worry about it. I
don't think otter pops could make anyone gain weight.

-=-This child is not exhibiting much self control
here. Do I need to do something/say something to stop her? I think she's
hurting herself-=-

Is she eating those things because she's bored?
Find something to do that's fun that gets her busy, uses her hands, or gets
her out of the house where the otter pops aren't.


Sandra


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lou

I have a 3 year old who is well into popsicles and ice cream so I know
what it feels like! He wants several a day but I find myself having to
limit him to 3 or 4 (if we go to Grandma's she has some). I make them
and buy them but we don't have a huge freezer and I have 3 other kids
who want them too. I wish I could let him eat as many as he wants but
he also has tooth decay on his top teetht that I don't think the sugar
(even juice sugar) will be helping. I wonder if he could eat them as
often as he wants would he slow down, but I can't because of the
situation. He does get upset when he's had his three though and that I
find really hard. I offer other stuff and usually he will have some
fruit instead. I wonder if he is bored too as he seems to wander to the
fridge regularly - but he also doesn't eat big meals but lots, little
and often so maybe he is hungry?

Angela S.

> Otter pops are some of the cheapest things you could possibly buy, aren't
> they? For anyone unfamiliar, an otter pop is a tube of plastic with
flavored
> water in it you freeze in the freezer, cut the end of the plastic off,
and
> squeeze the stuff out and eat it. It's like a popsicle in a tube, but
not as
> thick as popsicles (not as much flavor or sugar).

They are also 1.5 ounces each. 5.3 of them equal about a cup of coo-laid.
If your dd ate 10 of them in one sitting, it's like drinking a tall glass of
cool-aid. (2 cups) Not so bad when you look at it like that. And they are
really cheap.

Angela
game-enthusiast@...

Danielle Conger

==Otter pops are some of the cheapest things you could possibly buy,
aren't they? For anyone unfamiliar, an otter pop is a tube of plastic
with flavored water in it you freeze in the freezer, cut the end of the
plastic off, and squeeze the stuff out and eat it. It's like a popsicle
in a tube, but not as thick as popsicles (not as much flavor or sugar).===

I am so glad Sandra took the moment to define these because I was
reading it and couldn't for the life of me figure out why anyone was
eating "otter pups" and so many at one sitting! Ewwww...

--
~~Danielle
Emily (7), Julia (6), Sam (5)
http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"With our thoughts, we make the world." ~~Buddha

[email protected]

In a message dated 6/19/2005 6:53:44 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
lssttn@... writes:

He wants several a day but I find myself having to
limit him to 3 or 4


You choose to. You don't "find yourself having to."

It will make a difference in your thinking and your relationship with him if
you view it all in terms of your decisions rather than casting yourself in a
more helpless position, controlled by forces outside of you.

_http://sandradodd.com/unschool/haveto_
(http://sandradodd.com/unschool/haveto)

If you're worried about sugar on his teeth, you could have him rinse his
mouth after each one, or brush his teeth (toothpaste wouldn't be necessary; it's
never necessary).

-=-I offer other stuff and usually he will have some
fruit instead.-=-

Fruit sugars will do teeth in too.
Bread/carbohydrate turns to sugar in the mouth (famous kid-demo, chew a
saltine cracker without swallowing and it will turn sweet).

-=- I wonder if he could eat them as often as he wants would he slow down,
but I can't because of the situation.-=-

You could if your priorities are different. I'm not saying your priorities
should be different, just saying it's a choice and not a "can't."

What dentists say about teeth and what is biochemically true about teeth
aren't always the same thing. Teeth and mouths can't hear dentists talking,
they don't read dental journals, and dentists change their minds (not very
swiftly, because they have huge investments in all their equipment and decades-old
knowledge).

Holly's friend in England who also just got braces (not suspenders, and not
a garter belt, and I don't know what they call
tooth-bracing-orthodontic-applicances in England), and they were comparing care routines and directives.
Jasmine's orthodontist told her not to floss, as her gums are too immature
for floss. (She's 14.) Holly's is always reminding her to floss, giving her
more threaders and floss every time she turns around. (She's 13, and as
prematurity goes, was a preemie and is not "precocious" biologically speaking.)

-=-I wonder if he is bored too as he seems to wander to the
fridge regularly - -=-

If you beat him to the punch by having little platters of snacks out (cut up
cheese, nuts) he wouldn't get up and go to the fridge. If you're all out of
the house doing something cool, he can't reach the fridge. But eating
frequently is probably healthier than three big fill-up meals.

Sandra





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lou

> In a message dated 6/19/2005 6:53:44 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
> lssttn@a... writes:
>
> He wants several a day but I find myself having to
> limit him to 3 or 4
>
>
> You choose to. You don't "find yourself having to."
>

I say have to as I would love to choose to have all the popsicles he
can eat but am restricted by budget and freezer space.



> If you're worried about sugar on his teeth, you could have him
rinse his
> mouth after each one, or brush his teeth (toothpaste wouldn't be
necessary; it's
> never necessary).

I do worry about his teeth so maybe rinsing his mouth would be good
or maybe there is something else I could offer afterwards that might
help?


> Holly's friend in England who also just got braces (not suspenders,
and not
> a garter belt, and I don't know what they call
> tooth-bracing-orthodontic-applicances in England),

Yes we call them braces too!


> If you beat him to the punch by having little platters of snacks
out (cut up
> cheese, nuts) he wouldn't get up and go to the fridge. If you're
all out of
> the house doing something cool, he can't reach the fridge. But
eating
> frequently is probably healthier than three big fill-up meals.
>
> Sandra
>
Thanks Sandra that is a wonderful idea to have stuff ready on a
platter. He loves cheese too but I again restrict that somewhat (He
is prone to eczema)as I'm not sure a lot of it would be good for him.
I would have some cheese and some other stuff, ready done and left
out for him.
I agree his way of eating is best for him. He is a little guy with a
big personality who loves to grab a snack and run!

[email protected]

In a message dated 6/19/2005 2:57:29 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
lssttn@... writes:


I say have to as I would love to choose to have all the popsicles he
can eat but am restricted by budget and freezer space.


I think this contradicts why you said you had to in the earlier post.

It doesn't matter to any of the rest of us, but it's still a choice and it
will help you not just with this but with all kinds of decision making if you
can try to see the choices you make and decide on what basis you'll make
them. That's living by principles instead of by rules. Both Danielle Conger
and Ben Lovejoy have written on that, and are linked here:
_http://sandradodd.com/rules_ (http://sandradodd.com/rules)

Sandra


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