Stop offering my kids sugar!

As a parent, you desperately want to raise your children in a healthy fashion keeping the food pyramid of good eating in the back of your mind. You know the one I'm referring to, right? It's the one we learned about in fifth grade health class. We've all learned about it so we have a pretty good idea of how to feed our kids and how to eat healthy ourselves so why is it that everywhere I go, 'people' are trying to give my kids sugary crap to eat?

Last month, I took my two children to a birthday party with pizza and cake. I don't mind my older daughter having cake because by age 4 1/2, she is already completely addicted to sugar, but Little Sister (LS) is still new to the game of eating. While her big sister is going through her picky food phase, LS is still eating everything that I put in front of her and savouring it! Doesn't everyone want a child who relishes squash, broccoli and sweet potatoes?

At the birthday party, several people not only asked if I wanted to feed LS cake, but practically took my hand and forced me to give it to her, implying that everyone needs to eat cake. Okay, I admit, I caved in from the pressure and took a piece of cake for LS, but when everyone turned their back, I scooped off the icing and only gave her the cake. Ha, ha! I won that round!

Birthday parties aren't the only place where sugar is given. What about the grocery store with their free bakery cookies or the bank that loves to stock lollipops on their front counter?

Is there any escape from sugar?