So apparently at 3 years old, my son has figured me out.

Thus far, we have been giving him these rice syrup sweetened carob candies as a treat.  He calls them m’s & m’s.

Today when I offered him a few after his hummus and veggie spinach wrap, he told me- “I want the m’s and m’s with the letters on them and the guy on the package.”

He also asked me for a “horsey’s kiss.”

As disheartening as that moment was, at least we made it three years before the power of advertising had its impact…

I’ve discussed before how I want to avoid healthy eating becoming an issue in this house. I just want it to be our lifestyle at home, and then when we’re out at a restaurant or a birthday party I don’t have to worry about what my children are eating. Of course I hope they opt for healthy choices, but I will not micro-manage or criticize in any way.

I know that we serve and eat healthy and nutritious food at home, and as John Douillard says in The 3-Season Diet if you can implement something 51% of the time, you are doing it the majority of the time, and majority rules.

Last night I was perusing Feeding the Whole Family: Cooking with Whole Foods and the author Cynthia Lair says it best:

“Learning to bend rules, be flexible, and let go are perhaps the most important lessons of parenting. Relaxing around birthday parties and other social gatherings is a lot easier if you know what’s served at home is nutritionally sound. A woman in one of my classes proudly announced that she bakes no sugar, whole-wheat birthday cakes for her child to take to parties instead of allowing the child to share the cake being served. Rules that cause a child to feel uncomfortable in social situations are unnecessary and can be more unhealthy than sugary cake.”

Amen, sister.

Something tells me my 3 year old is going to love Halloween this year. And I plan on letting him enjoy every trick-or-treating minute of it.