This week on Parenting, one parent asked what they could do to curtail their children’s sugar intake.

“I'm trying to be mindful about my children's sugar intake, but I feel like I'm constantly battling the environment. School treats, birthday parties, playdates, even well-meaning relatives.

“During the Easter camp they will be given Easter eggs. Not even the small ones, but proper sized. Sugar doesn't seem to be taken seriously and I'm exhausted from having to intercept sweets all the time.

“How do I set boundaries around sugar without becoming an overprotective parent or offending family and friends?”

Family psychotherapist Joanna Fortune told the Moncrieff Show parents can sometimes become apologetic about boundaries even when it comes to their children's sugar consumption. 

Boundaries for Children's Sugar Consumption

“You're their parent. If you don't want this for them, you have to set the boundaries with everybody else.

“The chocolate doesn't have to be eaten at once. You can get very creative and share out the quantity. 

You can say something like: “Why don't we melt it down and bake with it and make crispy buns or whatever? And you can share them out amongst everyone.

“So the quantity of chocolate is actually being shared out.”, she suggested. 

She noted how sometimes children are given too much chocolate after an egg hunt and how this can disrupt self-regulation. 

“You can ask for no treats from relatives”, she said. 

“You can say: We’re really sorry and trying to put a boundary on this. It doesn't suit our kids. It's not something we want to do.”

She encouraged everyone to take a balanced view when it comes to Easter time. 

Main Image: Sugar skull on the wood background. Image: Alamy.