Thursday 11 December 2008

She only licks the icing ...

I have always been very conscious of the amount of sugar that the 4 year old eats. Anything more toxic than chocolate buttons and her head is guaranteed to spin as she bounces off the walls. I kid you not; she even has nightmares (usually about the man) when she’s overdosed on sugar. Don’t even get me started on fizzy drinks or Fruit Shoots. Snack wise I always try and lean towards the raisins/fruit option before the sweets and biscuits. This has thus far worked and makes life much easier. Both children have their fair share of sweets and biscuits, just in moderation. Control freak? Me? Never.

I am already twitching at the start of the ‘silly season’. Christmas is a time of many parties … out spring the guilty pleasures of my 4 year old; Cheesy Wotsits, buns (of which she only licks the icing) and unsolicited party bags brimming with a variety of sweets.

I recently discovered that the forces are against me; the force of Daddy. On the way to school we saw a sign outside a local shop advertising ice cream. As I had just scraped ice off my car I thought it amusing and made a comment to the 4 year old about it not being the sort of weather to be partaking in a 99 with sprinkles and sauce. This jolted one of her memories from her ever random memory bank …

Her - “Mummy, once when you were out Daddy said we could have an ice cream and some sweets. Then YOU rang to say you were on your way home and he said we couldn’t have anything because you’d tell him off”.

Me - “Do you think I’m mean?”

Her - “Yes”

Me - “Do you think Daddy’s mean?”

Her - “No”

I may be mean but he’s busted and he doesn’t even know it (until, that is, he reads this).

My husband would live on Midget Gems if he could. He has learnt to conceal his quarter bags of the little buggers from the children. Unfortunately, even the 2 year old who we suspect suffers from periodic deafness can identify the rustle of a paper bag filled with sweets. On the occasions they have discovered his stash they beg him, with their big eyes for a hit of the good stuff. He of course crumbles under the weight of his heart being tugged and the gentle whine of his beautiful babies. This, I have found, often happens within half an hour of bedtime and also coincides with the nights I am on bath and bed duty.

This, I refer to as ‘Daddy writing cheques that Mummy has to cash’.

7 comments:

Tim Atkinson said...

Scary, Laura! I think I'm with daddy on this one, but I can say that with impunity - and then run away quickly.

Gone said...

The Edge has started to point at the sweet/biscuit cupboard with a look of expectation and matter of factness, 'the good stuff Daddy" written all over her face.
Keep away from the sugary sweets and any drinks other than water and they'll be fine.
Tell hubby, midget gems, waterproof bag, toilet cistern, locked door, fine unless your ever raided by the drugs squad then he might have a nervous couple of hours.

Anonymous said...

My kids like sweets, too. They usually have a dessert after supper. Luckily, it doesn't seem to make them too hyper. They're at their most hyper in the morning before breakfast. I guess my kids are weird that way :)

What are midget gems?

Laura - Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy? said...

Dotterel - Pah! Hope you can run fast ;)

Grocer - I will suggest the waterproof bag technique this evening!

RH - These are midget gems - http://www.aquarterof.co.uk/lions-midget-gems-p-113.html

Merrily Down the Stream said...

Oh Girlfriend, welcome to my world (and my blog). My children live with constant contradictions. Mommy says no and Daddy says yes when Mommy isn't around. They make us the bad guys - it is sooo not fair. Come to think of it - let's go kick their sorry asses! Yeah!!!!!

Robert said...

At our house the opposite happens - Daddy (who if he so much as sniffs chocolate gains 2 pounds) says No & Mummy (who is as really annoying stick insect who eats sweets all day long) says Yes, but don't tell Daddy!

Btw, can you believe how much sugar is in a pizza???

Anonymous said...

Hey Laura, just visiting from Confused Take That Fan's pad.

Have to say I think Fruit Shoots are the work of evil. My son is like the Tazmanian Devil if he so much as whiffs one - probably all the chemicals fighting to jump up his nose.
There seems to be sugar in everything these days and it's a fighting battle to stem the tide!

And Reluctant Housewife: 'what are midget gems?' My god woman, you haven't lived!

Oh and another thing (I'm sorry Laura I do tend to take over and ramble on a bit . . .) I notice you have me down in your blog roll (thank you thank you thank you) as Coventry Telegraph From Dawn Till Rusk, but I shut that baby down a while back and started up here - just incase you're wondering who the hell I am!