As kids, we love going to our grandparents since we know the rules are way more lax there than at home. As parents, grandparents ignoring our rules and practices often gives us a headache. Indeed, 37% of parents admit having at least minor disagreements with grandparents about their parenting choices.
But the drama that ensued after this grandma fed a baby custard is one for the books. The parents got so mad at her saying "Rules don't apply to grandma" that now they're threatening to ban visits altogether. The story had people arguing over what's a boundary and what's just a personal preference when it comes to parenting.
A grandma feeding a baby custard snowballed into wild family drama
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The parents started threatening to ban visits if the grandparents didn't keep up with their rules
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Image credits: Curated Lifestyle/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
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Nutritional experts say that babies best not have sugar
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Parenting today is hard. With so many resources available, moms and dads might feel bombarded with information and unsure of what to include in their parenting strategy.
In fact, aside from exhaustion (61%), overwhelm (48%) and anxiety (32%) are the most common emotions parents experience in the first year of their baby's life.
A baby's diet can be a real minefield for first-time parents. These parents worry about their son consuming sugar. But is sugar really that bad for babies?
Most experts say "yes." The NHS warns: "Your baby does not need sugar." They claim that consuming sugary drinks and foods would only result in early tooth decay.
Pediatric dietician Lucy Upton adds that adding sugar to a baby's diet may rob them of consuming other vital vitamins and nutrients.
"It's recommended that babies and young children six months to two years of age generally avoid any added or free sugars for multiple reasons, from a health and development perspective," she explains.
"There's potential for increased energy intake, and crucially for children this risks displacement of other nutrients they require for health and development."
Giving babies too much sugar can backfire later in life
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Other experts even advise not giving babies added sugar until they're 12 months old. Lisa Bodnar, one of the researchers behind the guidelines on feeding infants and children, advocates for limiting or eliminating added sugars from babies' diets.
She argues that sugar overconsumption at an early age might have negative health repercussions later, such as:
- Childhood obesity;
- Cardiovascular disease;
- And tooth decay.
It's also very important to encourage a baby to eat healthy foods early on. Studies suggest that what we eat at an early age can shape our food preferences for life.
Therefore, nutritionists encourage parents to give babies as many different-tasting foods as possible, rather than just sweet ones. "Sweet food will always be easily and well accepted, so it's important children have a variety of other tastes and food experiences," Lucy Upton said.
If babies are having custard, the best choice is homemade and sugar-free
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Custard in itself isn't a bad food for babies. If it's store-bought and contains added sugars, then it's possibly a no-no. Yet feeding custard to a baby has benefits:
- If made with milk, it contains calcium, which babies need for strong bones and teeth.
- Due to its smooth texture, it's easily digestible for babies who are transitioning to solid foods.
- The carbohydrates in custard are a quick source of energy.
- If the custard contains eggs, it's an excellent source of protein.
At the same time, there are some risks of feeding your baby custard:
- Dairy and eggs can be allergens for some babies, especially if they are lactose intolerant;
- Some babies may experience constipation because of the rich and creamy texture;
- If the custard contains sugar, it may cause tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain.
Blogger Nicola from Mummy to Dex writes that custard can be a great food for baby-led weaning. She advocates for making the custard at home. Instead of adding sugar or chocolate, she suggests using fruit since it contains natural sugars.
People thought both sides were acting like jerks, and some details in the story made people think the parents are "over the top ridiculous" with their rules and expectations
