The Best Non-Food “treats” for Kids
Everyone loves a treat from time to time. But recently I learned a shocking (for me) fact: not all children love sweets. Plus (this one is much less shocking) not all parents want their kids to eat sweets or other unhealthy foods on a regular basis. And when it comes down to it, it would be nice to teach our kids that “treat” doesn’t always have to be consumable.
So the next time you want to celebrate their efforts at school or dominating the house schedule, consider offering them an inedible treat.
Erratic activity
For me, these were scientific experiments. For you, it could be mucus, clay, or a sensory basket full of raw rice. There is something that your child loves to do that creates such a mess or hassle when setting up and / or cleaning up that makes you moan every time they ask. Save it as a special treat!
Do they need a little motivation to complete this potty training sticker sheet or master their morning checklist? Let them look forward to the mess reward.
A little extra screen time
Assuming their screen time is no longer out of control, giving them an extra 15 minutes on a tablet or one extra show on the weekend might seem like a treat that rivals even the creamiest ice cream. Recently, one parent from our parent Facebook group applied this tactic. “Today I told them that they can watch TV instead of having fun,” says Carrie, “because no one can come up with what they want.”
Maybe you are a family that eats a chocolate dessert every night; or maybe you are a family watching a show together after washing up the dishes.
Late bedtime (on non-school night!)
I know this is not for everyone; some children require very regular, very consistent sleep patterns. But if your child is the type of person who can get a little sleep without ruining his mood for the next day, letting him get some sleep may seem like a real pleasure.
My husband and I usually let our son go to bed a little later on Friday and Saturday because he makes up for that by going to bed later the next morning. But there are a few nights a year when he knows he is going to go to bed quite late and is looking forward to it for days (even weeks) in advance. One of his favorite nights of the year is Halloween, because my friends and I have treats and then go back to their house to order pizza, watch movies and go to bed later than we should.
He cares a lot more about getting back to hang out with his friends and staying up late than about the candy he just picked up. (The gimmick or treat in our town is always on the Friday before Halloween, so we can afford the luxury we never get in school.) It’s like one of those memories he’ll come back to when he gets older and remembers. how great it was to be a child.
Your time
This is especially true of your young children, but I would say it is true of your teens and teenagers as well. Children really crave time with you. Making these little “dates” with your child can be tricky (especially if you have more than one or two children), but it doesn’t have to be long or expensive.
You can take the dog out for an afternoon walk, play a board game on Saturday morning, or assign him as your personal errand mate for the day when you go to the grocery store, post office, or farmers market.
Entertaining game
Nothing pleases my child more than when another parent asks him to take him along with what he is doing that day, or when we do the same with one of his friends. When kids are old enough not to need parental supervision while playing (and preferably not needing more than a booster seat for easy transport), they love to go out and do something together.
The next time you take your child to the playground for a hoop shoot, a movie, or a slice of pizza, consider if you can pick up some of his friends along the way.