>My pediatrician swears that sugar does not create hyperactivity in children, and while the caffeine in chocolate can act as a stimulant, regular candy – the chocolate-free kind – will not stimulate. Next time Mr. B pours a packet of Mike and Ikes into his waiting mouth and then, within seconds, turns from a crazy 8 year old into a bloody lunatic 8 year old, I must remember to whip out my Flip and take notes. Next time.

On Sunday we were at a candy-filled event. We’ve been before and while I no longer hover over the kids and monitor how much crap they’re shoveling into their little faces, I can’t relax until the event is over and we’re home, miles away from the green drool of Laffy Taffy Land. This year the boys went nuts again. Every time I looked over at them they were shoveling more in, and while it seemed to me that other kids were taking breaks, breathers if you will, in between feedings, for my boys, it was one long binge. (I do admit that my objectivity may have been blurred by several trips to the fondue station.)

So, I asked myself: If I let my kids eat candy all day every day, and had it pouring out of the faucets of the house, would they behave differently? A year ago, I might have thought so. But when I had the same experience, at the same event, this time last year, I decided to ease up and allow the sweet stuff in now and then. One year later, and I’m not sure I made the right decision. Bennett was still standing on top of a climbing structure pouring liquid candy (I kid you not) into his face while Efram might have set the world record for feet of Laffy Taffy squeezed into the mouth of a 6 year old.

So, I suppose all this begs the question – how on earth do I get my kids to self regulate? I suppose when I can limit my own trips to the fondue station to the single digits, I may have an answer.