The effect sugar has on my sons continues to amaze me. They don’t even have to eat it. Just the sight of it in the same vicinity as them. The promise (or threat) of gaining (or losing) some sugary sweet treat is enough for them to fall in line quickly.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t use sugary treats as bribes for my kids all the time. But every once in a while, I dig into my bag of tricks and that is a standard. Because it works.
The holiday season, for example, seems like one sugary sweet after another when you have kids. They bring home candy canes from school or have cookies during class parties. Then there are the homemade sugar cookies we make to decorate for Santa. And the treats in their stockings. And the hot cocoa after playing in the snow or while driving around to look at Christmas lights.
And all of this is on top of the general holiday craziness my sons seem to carry like a badge of honor. As the calendar ticks down closer to the big day, their energy level amps up. I pump them full of water, hoping to mitigate their whiny demands of a treat because they’re hungry.
Then, when they’re least expecting it, we can spring a surprise dessert on them. One day it was the complimentary sopapillas after our lunch. Followed by their first taste of fried ice cream. Because it was a surprise, they floated on a cloud of sugary high the rest of the day. And they were well-behaved. Well, as well behaved as a kid can be so close to Christmas.
And that is my favorite. Not giving in to their whines or bribing them, but truly surprising them just because. The look of joy on their faces is something I will forever cherish.
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