Papi, We're Killing the Kids! [Part One: Donut Tantrums]

By posting my meal plan earlier, I kind of put the cart before the horse [doesn't work real well].

Do you remember that show on TLC, Honey, we're killing the kids? I thought it was terrific. It showed families [parents, mainly] how their eating and non-exercising habits were causing issues for their children, now and in the future. Since I don't call Junior honey much, I am going with Papi.

I cannot tell you how many times we have gotten take out, sat around our table, and stuffed our mouths until all the food was gone. I would look around at my children's faces almost hidden among the cans of soda and fast food wrappers. What the heck were we doing?

My "oh crap" moment was a few days ago when I had brought home, as a treat, Dunkin Donuts. It wasn't the first time, so I wasn't exactly surprised when Nic had a donut tantrum on my living room floor because I wouldn't give him a 5th donut hole. He's two. He doesn't need any, let alone 5.

The more I thought of it - the more I realized "this isn't right!" I decided to scrap the sugar and a majority of processed foods from our diet. Thankfully, my kids love fruit and most veggies. We were doing this to the kids, they weren't doing it to themselves. They ate what I bought.

I have real health concerns for Nic. When he was born three months premature, we swore we were going to do things different with him; from discipline to the kinds of food he ate. I am starting to see a [very!] active 2 year old. Sometimes I see him spazz out - probably because of a sugar high. I do not want to see him have behavior problems, my older two never had them.

I want Nic to eat healthfully and not to freak out in excitement every time he sees a donut or a piece of cake.

This is going to be a six week challenge for our family; I will post a follow-up each week. Next week, I will be focusing on my daughter Isabel and the reasons why giving up sugar would be awesome for her.

Today is day one of sugar free in our house. So far, so good!