Sweet Tooth, Not Yet Removed

Harbor House is having a Spring Fling party tomorrow. They divvied up the prizes for the kids by having half of the alphabet (first letter, last name) bring edible treats and the other half non-edible. We had edible, and I bought a 6 pack of big peanut butter melt away eggs for Jake to take in. He saw them on the counter the other day and has been thinking of them ever since. Even with the impending surgery to remove his SECOND abscessed tooth, he just can't break the sugar habit. Usually I don't give him too much grief about it because, frankly, he gets it honestly from me...

This morning on the way to school we talked about what he thought the events of the day would be tomorrow. He wasn't sure, but he wanted to know the whereabouts of those peanut butter eggs. I told him that I had given them to Mrs.Olson. He sat thoughtfully for a while, and then said, "If I win a game, I'm going to pick a non-edible prize, because for the next week I'm not eating any sugary snacks."

I said, "Easter is Sunday, Buddy. You're giving up candy now?" (Shouldn't we have done that for Lent, was what I was actually thinking, but that put too much responsibility on my shoulders, so I didn't voice that part).

"Oh, I'm not giving it up forever. Just for the week. And I'll still be able to eat dessert after dinner, like mint chocolate chip ice cream, just not candy. " (Whew! I was worried!)

"You know the surgery isn't this Wednesday, it's next Wednesday?" I said.

He smiled. "Oh, then I can have one of those peanut butter eggs this week. That's good."

I just shook my head.

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Tonight at dinner, he asked me if calories were good or bad. I explained to him that they were neither good nor bad. We need to eat to live, but if we eat too much, then we gain weight and it makes it harder for our hearts to pump blood to our bodies. I explained it like putting gas in the car, and food is our fuel. He understood, and then asked about exercising. I told him that was a great way to burn calories. We need to move our bodies, and not just sit around and watch tv and play video games, because if we don't burn the calories we eat, then we also gain weight. I talked to him about choosing healthy foods, because they are more likely to have the number and kinds of calories we need. He agreed about that too, and then said, "That's why I like to lift weights and do push-ups." He really does those things, often while I'm on the treadmill. He added, "I think I'm going to jump on the trampoline. That way I'm not just sitting and watching TV. I'm exercising while I do it!" Well, I guess that's better than just sitting there like a vegetable. It doesn't take care of the mind numbing garbage that he's watching, but...choose your battles, right?!