The Importance of the Occasional Treat
I’m not the sort to forbid sweets. That’s not by accident.
Early June is the time of year when broad-brush strokes of sun cover the world in a luxurious yellow hue. Early summer is also the time of year when scoops of chilly ice cream goodness taste the best. This is true whether you’re at the edge of the driveway listening to Mr. Frosty’s jingle, by grandmom and grandpop’s backyard swimming pool, or bellied-up to the counter of your local neighborhood ice cream parlor. My two daughters enjoy their fair share of traditional cold summertime treats, in a variety of locales, but none is more celebrated than the waffle cone that’s placed into their growing, but still-tiny hands after the last day of each school year. It’s one of our most cherished family traditions.
This treat tradition of ours toasts the close of another year of academic growth and friend making, but it doesn’t mean sweet treats are reserved only for special occasions.
I believe that keeping children away from things completely, be it treats or screen time, will only have the opposite of the desired effect once a child gets a taste, literally or figuratively, of the forbidden fruit. As a Together Counts™ Ambassador, my family and I think of the occasional childhood treat as a conversation starter about moderation and limits, and the very logical reasons both need to be in place to ensure a healthy, active and happy life. Plus, there’s personal evidence that this kind of open dialogue, starting at a very young age, might help kids to self-moderate as they mature into decision makers. After my youthful issues with consuming chocolate after 8pm that my two older brothers would love to tell you stories about, we also avoid the traditional dessert after dinner thing; in fact, we rarely ever finish our days with something sweet. Instead, I’ll pick up warm croissants for the girls from our local French bakery on my way home from the gym early on a Saturday morning as a for-no-particular-reason surprise or prepare them a fun, fresh fruit on a stick treat in their lunchbox, while my wife might serve up a plate of Girl Scout cookies during a midweek movie night.
Whether it’s a buttery croissant, a plate of cookies, or a fruit kabob, food and eating always has the potential to be a fun experience. When balanced with smart conversation, a diverse palette, and memorable traditions, occasional treats add small scoops of joy to life….with sprinkles.
Jeff Bogle is Together Counts Ambassador, and an at-home dad who writes humorously about parenting and All Things Childhood on his site Out With The Kids. His work also frequently appears on The Huffington Post and The Good Men Project, among other print and online outlets.