Nearly 5 and Sneaking Food

I had a bit of a similar problem. My youngest LOVES sugar and has always had a hard time controlling herself when it's around :(
What is working for us is a weekly allotment. I buy a certain amount (a container of ice cream, a box of her favorite chocolate chip granola bars and maybe some other little thing.) But the thing is, when it's gone, it's gone. I only buy this stuff once a week, if she eats it all within the first few days then she goes without. She's learned over time to make it last (she's 12 now.)

It may seem a bit drastic but it works for us, maybe you could give it a try!

Just make a house rule that all food needs to stay in the kitchen/dining room. And stick to that rule.

He might still try to sneak food. Shoot, I did it and both of my kids did too. It's just a part of being a kid. Just stick to your guns. Also, if it's not meal/snack time, keep him from going through the kitchen cabinets and drawers.

As soon as someone says you can't have ANY of something, that is exactly what you crave.

Tell your son that the dentist should not have said no candy; what he should have said is that his teeth need to be brushed twice a day. Tell your son that he can continue to eat sweets in moderation like he has been doing so there is no need to "hide" it, but he must also brush twice a day.

YOu need to break this habit now; you don't want him turning into a closet over-eater.

First off you're teaching him that only candy causes cavities and that's the farthest thing from the truth. The truth? Those fruit juice based rolls are WAY harder on his teeth than any sugary candy out there. So instead of telling him "no candy" you should have told him "you have to brush your teeth twice a day and floss every night" your dentist sounds like an idiot. He needs to know that even if he doesn't eat any candy with sugar he can still get cavities if he doesn't brush and floss... so if the only reason you all of a sudden took away all his good stuff is because of his cavities then explain to him that you were wrong and this is what's going on.. you HAVE to brush and floss every night. Simple as that.

I only read a few posts but have to agree that your son is sneaking the food because he wants control. He probably feels like something he really likes is being taken away and he still wants it bad enough to steal it. Because he is (or was until he was caught) getting what he wants by stealing it, he is learning a very bad lesson.

I think your need to incorporate treats more in your home - within moderation, of course. At the grocery store let him pick out one or two favorite treats and maybe he gets one if he eats a good lunch or dinner, or after school along with a piece of fruit or something healthy.

I have to agree with the genetics of the teeth, but if it is a concern tell your son that he can have his piece of candy, but he needs to brush and floss his teeth right after.

I'll try to make this quick - there was a study where they gave a group of Kindergartners two bowls of dried fruit - apricots and prunes, I think. The kids could pick whichever they liked best and they picked about both evenly.

The second time they were offered the bowls of fruit, they told the kids that they could NOT have the apricots (put a cover over them), and only the prunes.

The third time the kids were able to go for which ever fruit they wanted and they overwhelmingly went for the aprocts because they were "forbidden" which made them MUCH more desirable.

I give my 3 yo son about a half measuring cup of Sprite every day for lunch. I don't really like doing this, but he loves it and if I say no, no, no then he will want it even more. Moderation is key.

Yep. Our 5 1/2 year old and our almost 3 year old love sweets and junk food. Come on, what kid doesn't? They are way too young to think very much past "Oooh, cookies! Yum!"

We do our best to keep all of that stuff up high where they can't get to it. Yes, they both try to drag chairs and climb up to reach things, but we try to make that futile as well. I try to put things in a pantry where they can't even get to it.

Honestly, I would be concerned if he wasn't trying to get to the good stuff. This is just so normal. Yes, it is our job to limit them and stop them from indulging, but it is just so normal for them to want these things.

I think he's too young to be punished for this offense. Just do a better job of keeping things out of his reach. You control the treats.

You need to tell him why (even if he already has been told) and then check his hiding places EACH day.

Blessings.....

I just wonder how this is making him feel. The restictions are making him a thief. That would seriously make me question the rules and lighten up. Candy and stuff are not great but it is the genetics behind the enamel that makes teeth bad or good. The candy doesn't really effect teeth that much. Of course everything we eat effects things but if he had strong enamel he could eat anything he wanted, candy all day every day and he's never get a cavity.

He obviously needs to have more control over what he gets to eat. Let him participate and he can have some candy. Maybe not chocolate every day but some each week. I let the kids have granola bars with chocolate chips in them all the time. I can't get them to sit down and eat a bowl of oatmeal but they will eat a whole granola bar.

Too much "no" makes it a very sneaky thing. That's my opinion. I let my kids have sweets. Sometimes too much (like today) but not usually. They eat alot of good healthy food too. Veggies and fruit. Junk food is not laying around, but I am not super strict about it either.

Our dentist says it is the sticky treats that are the killer...fruit roll ups or fruit leather or fruit snacks of any kind...even raisins. Little bits get stuck in their teeth and then just sit there for a long time. I have not had this experience with my son, but I would sit him down and explain some house rules. Food is not sneaked...you ask for it and you do not go behind parent's backs. Tell him if he does it again he will get x for a consequence and then if he does it again make sure he gets his punishment. Take him to the grocery store with you and have him help pick out some healthier snacks he will enjoy. I'd still let him enjoy 2 treats a day but have him brush his teeth afterwards - especially if it is something sticky. I would not let him have candy like gum or lollipops on a regular basis bc that is just pure sugar he will have in his mouth for a long time. But don't really bring this up with him...focus on all the yummy things he can have and have him help pick stuff out.

My SD used to sneak candy in her room and leave half-drank milk cups and we got bugs. We cleared out her entire room and she lost a weekend cleaning because we had to deal with her trash. She was told that if she did it again, she'd lose more than some friend time on the weekend.

At 5, go through his room. Anything you find, you bag and tag it. Then sit him down and talk to him about it. You can put a container on the counter and in the AM he gets to pick out his snacks (like 2 healthy things and 1 not so much) and that's all he gets. If he eats something more or takes food, then you insert consequence here.