All In

School started yesterday and I'm amazed at how quickly we are back in the groove. I guess summer school helps to keep us on track and makes the "reentry" to a new school year much smoother. Lately, I've been thinking about how grateful I am that we stick to the school policy of low sugar - less than 3 grams. I can't imagine what it would be like if Mike and I weren't on the same page with this.

Over the summer we had some friends from school over to swim. I was a little caught off guard when one of the mom's asked me if we did the "low sugar thing" on the weekend. Of course, I said yes and we enjoyed watermelon and veggies when we took a break from swimming. The complex sugar in fruits doesn't effect the boys the way that processed sugar does.

When you spend a boat load of money on your kids' education, it's worth that investment to go all in. We try to do our best in the areas of food. I'd give us an A- for effort and implementation and an A+ for creativity. We have come up with some very creative alternatives that have been rather popular. Here's a example, the boys are in cub scouts which equates to camping trips,

camp fires and typically smores. Obviously, smores aren't on the low sugar list, but cocktail wienies are. They were quite the hit with the other scouts too as were the big bag of carrots we were eating by the camp fire. How funny is that??

The times that we have given in to the need for treats it has been nothing but disastrous. For Marshall, it takes him four days to come off a sugar high. I remember the weekend of Jensen's birthday they both had too many helpings of ice cream. The following week they both got in trouble at school and got sent to the office. I felt particularly bad because I was the one who let them have more. I felt like a mom who had given her kids crack!!!

I do have to give my mom and dad props for going all in too!!! Coco and Papa, as they are known, have been gracious enough to spend extended time with our kids for winter breaks and spring breaks. They have been wonderful about ensuring the boys are eating right. I can imagine that as a grandparent it must be hard not to give the grands "treats". They, too, have found some special alternatives that are nice treats for the kids like low sugar protein bars.

Another alternative that has been especially nice for celebrations has been Publix's sugar free cakes. I have to order the cakes in advanced, but they look great and taste great, too, as does the no sugar added Eddy's ice cream. It's much better than the alternative crazy behavior and it makes for a nice birthday party too! The other kids aren't loaded up on sugar either.

I can tell when the boys have had too much sugar even without knowing what they ate. Recently, they went on a trip and I stayed home. The night they came home, I sat down to read with Jensen and he couldn't sit still, he couldn't focus on the words, and he couldn't keep his place in the story. It was miserable! I thought about the teachers who had to deal with our kids when they had eaten too much sugar...oh how sorry I am for that.

So, we do a pretty good job when it comes to low sugar food. The times when we do goof up are teachable moments and ones we don't want to repeat. The important part is that we get back on track and go all in again!!!