When you look back on the past few days, how many times a day did you give you or your child a food treat? Was it once, twice, or multiple times each day? According to the World English Dictionary, the definition of a treat is “Any delightful surprise or specially pleasant occasion.”
The issue I see with treats today is that we have lost the essence of what a treat really means in our society. Many parents will use the offer of a treat or sweet as a bribe so often that kids come to expect it all the time. In that case, then it becomes a habit rather than a treat since it is no longer a delightful surprise. Far too often I will hear: “Bobby, if you will stop bugging your sister, we will get you a treat at (insert favorite coffee shop here).”
A one-time use of a treat is not a problem; however, where the problem arises is when the child is given a sweet for lunch, followed by an afternoon soda, and then topped off with a big bowl of ice cream just before bed. It is the combination of all these sweets that add up to serious health concerns over time. Adults also fall into the treat trap themselves by starting their day off with the Grande peppermint mocha, followed by the supersized cookie at lunch. Later in the day, to cope with work stress, they go out with co-workers for an afternoon iced mocha with whipped cream. In the evening, they join in with their kids for their ice cream treat before bed.
At the end of the day, we forget how many times we have provided treats to our self or our kids. This type of treat amnesia sabotages any healthful eating that occurred during the day. Treats are a wonderful thing; let’s keep them as a delightful surprise or for a special occasion. Better yet, think outside the food realm and treat yourself to a massage or a day spa.