🍭 Are Sweet Treats Really Treats?

What to Say to Kids About Sugar, Cravings, and Choice

“Why do we call it a treat,” Pip whispered,
“if it plays tricks on our bodies like that?”
— Pip’s Sweet Escape

If it sparkles, sings, and makes us giggle — surely it’s a treat… right?

That’s what Pip thought too, when he stumbled into a palace made of sugarglass. Fizzy fountains, sherbet pillows, and cupcakes that wore crowns — it was every creature’s dream.

But like many dreams, the Sugar Goblin’s world had a twist.
A sparkle with a string. A treat with a trap.

And Pip — like so many children — had to learn the difference.

🍬 Why “Treat” Isn’t Always a Kind Word

In our homes, schools, and supermarket aisles, sweet things are often framed as rewards:

• “If you’re good, you can have a treat.”

• “This is just a little something special.”

• “Don’t worry, it’s only a sweet.”

But under the glitter of those words lies something stickier.
The science is clear: sugar is addictive, especially for children.

🧠 According to paediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig, sugar lights up the brain’s reward system in the same way as certain drugs — causing a cycle of craving, spike, crash, and more craving.

It’s not just about health.
It’s about how joy is packaged — and who profits when we believe that fizzy equals fun.

“They’re sold as love… but lead to harm.”
— Behind the Wonder, Oops & Wonder

🧃 What the Sugar Goblin Teaches Us About Cravings

In Pip’s Sweet Escape, the Sugar Goblin doesn’t nibble. He doesn’t sip.
He feeds on the fizz — the thrill, the giggle, the buzz.

That’s not far from how real-world marketing works.

UNICEF and WHO have both reported that processed foods are deliberately marketed to children using cartoon characters, colours, and emotional hooks — making the “treat” feel personal, magical, and even deserved.

So when Pip whispers, “My body’s trying to help me…” —
he’s doing something powerful.

He’s choosing to listen inward, not outward.

🌿 What to Say to Children Instead

Talking about sugar doesn’t have to be shame-filled or strict. In fact, it shouldn’t be.

Here are a few gentle shifts you can try:

• Instead of “That’s a treat”, try “That’s a sometimes-sparkle”

• Instead of “This is a reward”, try “This is fun — but not fuel”

• Instead of “You’ve had enough”, try “How’s your body feeling?”

Empower your child to notice their body, trust its signals, and pause before more.

Because kindness isn’t saying yes to every craving.
It’s knowing when “no” means “I care.”

🧰 Free Tools to Help the Conversation

At Oops & Wonder, we believe stories plant seeds — and gentle tools help them grow.

📥 Download Pip’s Kindness Cards — thoughtful, playful prompts that shift reward away from food and toward action. (coming soon)

📥 Get the Oops Reflection Chart — a printable guide to help kids process wobbles, mistakes, and “oops” moments with compassion, not guilt. (coming soon)

🌱 The Quiet Power of Asking Questions

Pip doesn’t shout. He doesn’t scold.
He wonders. He whispers. He chooses again.

And when children see that — they learn they can, too.

So next time someone calls it a treat, pause with Pip.
Feel the sparkle. Hear the whisper.
And gently ask:

“Is this a treat — or just dressed up like one?”

💌 Want More Gentle Tools & Forest Wisdom?

Join Pip’s Pack — and get first access to new printables, story releases, and emotional insight straight from the forest.