[email protected]

In a message dated 6/25/2003 12:54:27 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

> ***If left to his own devices, my son would
> eat sugar all day.***
>
> He might if sugar has been a rare and restricted thing. It works that
> way for some people. If a thing has been very limited, when it finally
> becomes available it takes a while for them to feel like they've had
> enough.
>
> He wouldn't eat sugar all day every day, forever.
>
> My son has lived without restrictions on sweets, TV, movies or reading
> material.
>
> Here's a recent story.
>
> Saturday we were expecting some friends and I made a chocolate cake.
> Dylan had one piece of cake that day and hasn't had any since. It's
> Tuesday and I still have half a cake. It was a good cake too!<g> No one
> here is desperate for sweets.
>
> Tonight he asked for brown rice and broccoli. We have pop and potato
> chips in the house, corn chips and cake, but he hasn't selected those
> things. He's never selected them steadily or to the exclusion of
> everything else. Why would he? With lots of choices why would he limit
> himself to one thing?
>
> You clearly care about your family's well being. Thinking about their
> ability to care about their own well being and happiness is a good thing
> too. There is no reason to assume children want to have less happy or
> healthy lives than we hope they will have.
>
> Deb L
>
>

Well...I have to admit...
Julian has never had restrictions about what he can or can't eat, and there's
generally sugar and other snacks in the house. At the very least, Beth works
for Girl Scouts, so we always have a box or two around of GS cookies. There
are also always fruits and veggies available. And Julian has always been (well,
since he was 3-4) an ethical vegetarian.

He is also a sugar maniac, and will, in fact, eat sugar all day long. He also
eats other stuff, and it probably all works out to a not-unhealthy diet. If
he has a good filling meal at a restaurant he'll turn down dessert, even if
they're really good. But he frankly has a strong preference for sweet desserts
over fruits and veggies.

On the other hand, presentation is everything to this kid. If we hand him a
plate with things artfully arranged, he'll give us an enthusiastic, "Ooooo!"
This could be a peanut butter sandwich.

Overall, I'd say it works not restrict foods in any way. But he does eat lots
of sugar and plenty of dairy. And he's rarely sick and has no food allergies.

Kathryn

Kathryn


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