My in, laws are coming to visit, and I don’t want my son to get out of his eating routine. During the week, we follow a fairly balanced plan, but as soon as the grandparents arrive, everything becomes cookies, ice cream, and fast food. I don’t want to be the bad guy or deprive him of having fun with them, but I’m worried this will affect his energy and habits. How can I balance this without it being a battle? I’d like him to eat healthy without feeling like I’m taking away his fun
Oh, this is so relatable. My parents and in-laws are both big on the grandparents get to spoil mindset, and my kids eat like kings aka nonstop snacks when they’re around. I used to stress so much about it, but I’ve found a couple of ways to make it work. One thing I do is get the grandparents involved in making a special meal together, something fun but still nutritious, like homemade pizzas with lots of veggie toppings. That way, my son still feels like he’s getting a treat, but it’s not just junk.
Also, I try to balance out the day, if I know there’s going to be ice cream in the afternoon, I make sure breakfast and lunch are packed with good stuff. And I remind myself that a couple of days of looser eating isn’t going to undo everything! It’s tough, but I try to focus on the big picture
Omg I feel like I could’ve written this myself. Why do grandparents turn into human candy dispensers? 
Have you tried setting a treat window where there’s a set time for fun snacks, but the rest of the meals stay balanced? Just wondering if that would help or if your in, laws would just ignore it lol
These are such great ideas! I hadn’t thought about getting my in, laws involved in making meals, I love the idea of homemade pizza or smoothies. I think my son would be really into that. And I might try the choice approach, like asking him if he wants a special treat today or tomorrow so he doesn’t feel like I’m just saying no.
Also, I definitely need to work on not showing my stress in front of him. I don’t want food to turn into a battle or something he fixates on just because he sees me upset about it. Thank you all! Feeling a little better about tackling this weekend now. 
I’ve been there. My son IS older now (6) and I can tell you that stressing over a weekend of indulgence is not worth it. I used to get nervous about every drop of sugar, but what I’ve learned is that kids sense our stress a lot more than a few extra cookies.
A couple of things that helped me: Before the visit, I’d have a conversation with my in, laws, something like, I know you love to indulge them, but can we make up for it with some healthier snacks, too? Sometimes just letting them know makes them more aware. And I always made sure my kids got plenty of movement played outside, ran around to burn off the extra energy.
Believe me, a weekend of pampering from the grandparents won’t ruin their eating habits in the long run. But if it becomes a big battle, that can lead to power struggles over food later on. Pick your battles!
Something that might help is framing it as special occasion eating rather than just bad vs. good food. Kids can handle a bit of flexibility, and if they understand that sometimes we eat differently like on holidays or visits, it helps them learn balance.
One strategy is setting up a routine with your son before the visit. Maybe tell him, We’re going to have some extra fun foods this weekend, but we’ll also make sure to eat foods that help our bodies feel good. You can also make a fun chart or game where he earns a special activity like picking a movie for trying different foods. Keeping it positive really helps!