The people at yourhamper recently contacted me to ask if I would be interested in them writing a guest blog post for Alaska’s Blog and when I heard their topic ideas I couldn’t say no! If anybody is like me, they will have noticed that it is all too common to see children being fed junk food. I’m not a mother myself (thank goodness!), but I know several people who are new parents, so it is an important topic for me. So, in an attempt to combat this junk food/sweet tooth nation, this post explains the positive and negative affects on children and what you could do as alternatives or ways to still treat your children!
Every parent loves to indulge their children, don’t they? When your kids are well behaved, when they achieve top marks at school and when they make you proud of them, you may want nothing more than to treat them with a sweet hamper - not only will this help to teach them that hard work and good behaviour brings reward, but the smiles on their faces will be enough on their own to make it all worthwhile. Parenting is all about striking the right balance, however, and while it’s important to reward your children and make them feel special when the time is right, nothing is as important as their health. We all realise that too many sweets and chocolates can be very detrimental to a child’s health, but is it possible to treat your kids to a sweet hamper without suffering the consequences? Take a look at three of the ill effects associated with sugary overindulgence - can you treat your children and still keep these negatives at bay?
Dental health
Too much sugar can have a detrimental effect on your children’s teeth and gums. Excessive sugar consumption coupled with poor dental hygiene can cause tooth decay and gum disease, often requiring dental surgery and fillings to correct. Getting into bad habits at an early age will inevitably cause problems in later life, so it’s important that your children understand the importance of good dental hygiene straight away. A few sugary treats from a sweet hamper won’t ruin your children’s teeth, but as with everything in life, sweets must be enjoyed in moderation. You need to ensure that your children brush their teeth thoroughly twice a day, too, to ensure that plaque is not allowed to accumulate.
The sugar rush
While a sugar rush may not be particularly harmful to your child, it is likely to be harmful to your peace of mind! No parent wants a hyperactive child on their hands, bouncing off the walls and generally causing chaos. You can treat your children without suffering the high-energy consequences, however, and again, it all comes down to moderation! Ration the treats from your children’s sweet hamper so that they aren’t allowed to cram everything down their faces all at once, and they’ve got something to look forward to at a later date. Remember that they could be getting sugar from other sources, too - if you’re treating them to something from the sweet hamper, tell them that they’re not allowed any fizzy drinks or sugary juices too. It should be one or the other!
Childhood obesity
One of the most significant consequences of overindulging your children is the threat of childhood obesity. There are numerous, more dangerous health problems associated with obesity, so allowing your children to eat too many sweets, crisps, fizzy drinks and fast foods can be dangerous. The sweets from your sweet hamper need to be occasional treats rather than the norm, so that your children know they can look forward to a rare indulgence if they’ve been extra good - not every day of the week. Teaching your children about the importance of good food and a healthy lifestyle is important, too, so maybe you can consider treating them to something from the sweet hamper after sports practice, or occasionally switching the unhealthy treats for delicious fresh fruits and other nutritious snacks.
Parents need to feel like they can treat their children without negative consequences, and if you strike the right balance, one of our sweet hampers can make the perfect gift for your child. Why not design your own personalised hamper and treat your children to an indulgence when they really deserve it?
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