sugar mama

i feel like childhood can be summed up as one massive sugar explosion rolling into the next sugar volcano. halloween into christmas into valentine's day into easter....plus birthday treats every time someone turns a year older...treats from the grandparents, treats after school, treats on a play date...treats, treats, treats! 

so i spotted this cute alternative to a candy packed easter basket and sighed, ah yes: 

(picture via http://www.designmom.com)

i feel like my girls get more than enough sugar and treats, and yet in their minds what they get is never enough. i swear they ask me constantly for a little something. it doesn't seem to matter how many times we talk about "sometimes" or "once-in-a-while" foods, they still ask for them. incessantly. 

granted, they eat really healthy food too. yesterday they were nibbling on stalks of broccoli that they pulled out of one of our planter beds, and i can always tell when they've been grazing in the kale in our garden because they come inside with their faces stained green. they love salad and vegetables and fruit and all of that anytime-category of food.

but.

i've worked hard not to allow treats or food to be a reward or for it to represent love or as a filler for sad times or as a symbol of happy times. that doesn't mean they don't get that message from other places, but as much as possible i've worked hard not to have food represent something that fills the parts of your soul that need filling.

and yet?

it's wearing me out, this constant begging for shugs. it feels like a daily ask on their part. so i wonder, wise ones, if you have some smart way that you speak to your kids about sugar or treats? i feel like it is EVERYWHERE. i don't want to limit them completely, because a.that's pretty impossible b.i think no treats would lead them to want them even more and c.did i mention it would be really close to impossible? 

wisdom? insight? advice? 

happy weekend to you.

now that you've stopped by, say hello in the comments :)