The other day I and my friend Pooja went for grocery shopping at the supermarket near our house. Pooja took along her 9 months old daughter Mira while I left my daughter- Mehr back home to her grandparents. After finishing the shopping I thought of buying a Jolly Rancher Lollipop for the kid. Mehr loves this lollipop so thought, maybe she will like it too.

choco
Baby eating lollipop

When I gifted Mira the lollipop Pooja denied it outright saying she will get cavity. I told her that she barely has two teeth but she insisted that it would spoil her gums leading to future dental problems. After sometime I saw the kid was still holding on the lolli I gave her to hold. At that time I decided to chuck what Pooja was saying and opened the wrapper for the poor kid. To our astonishment the baby started giggling with joy and immediately put the lollipop in her mouth and started sucking. Pooja was busy with billing so she let Mira have a good suck or two. Mira enjoyed the lolli so much that within a few minutes the lollipop was reduced to half its original size. She was using the lollipop to itch her soaring gums as she was coping with those teething pains. She loved it very much, it was providing her the much needed relief she was looking for, as the lollipop reached the entire nook and corner of her mouth providing a sweet flavor which was better for her than the teethers.

As she was busy enjoying her feast there came the monster – “Pooja”. She had finished her billing and snatched the lollipop out of Mira’s hands stating the same dental reasons. I felt so bad for Mira I requested Pooja to just let her finish this lollipop as she is loving it. I pleaded that sometimes you have to give the babies a few sweets and chocolates as it is their birth right. If kids don’t eat chocolate than who will eat them?

Unfortunately she did not pay any heed to my requests and threw the lollipop in the dustbin. Mira started crying at this sight but after all what can she do as she is just a nine month old baby. Pooja said she will forget it.

This shows us the strange things we as parents do. In our childhood we used to crave for chocolates as our parents barely managed to afford it every day. Now when we have all the luxuries in the world we still don’t allow them to satiate their sweet cravings. Are we selfish and revengeful that we will not give our kids what we didn’t get?

The aim to write this article is to urge all the parents to please “LET GO”.A few chocolates here and there will not harm the young gums. If we don’t provide the candies and sweets now, then, as they grow they will have stronger urges which will result in hogging the sweets leading to obesity. This type of kids will hog on the candies, chocolates, ice-creams when they go out with guests as they very well know that their parents wouldn’t be able to scold them in front of guests. Leading to lot of embrassement for parents.

So its better to let the kids enjoy and eat as they wish to (obviously in moderation).

If kids don’t eat chocolates then the all the chocolates companies will have to shut down!!! 🙂