Dentist

We took the kids to the dentists for their checkups to get ready for school. Caitlyn came out with no cavities. This is actually her first time to the dentists (I know, it's a little late). They had a dentist go in and check the kids out in preschool though...more of a quick checkup but she didn't have any problems. We were supposed to go last summer but we were sick the whole time. We did try to get a hold of the dentist during the year a couple of times but was never able to get a hold of them for some reason or another. I do think that I need to find a new dentist for her though in the next 6 months because this dentist is not very good with kids (or people, really...but Christian likes her because she is straight forward and honest).

Emily, however, did not fare as well. She got her first cavity. Actually, she has a mouthful of cavities. She had a couple filled already but she still has to go back to do a few more. It's going to cost a pretty penny and we are not happy. I thought they would be in pretty good shape as they floss and do mouthwash as well as brush their teeth on a regular basis, but alas, it was not good enough. We obviously need to get her to brush better (especially in the back).

We have also had a lot of problems this past year with her and candy. She's been obsessed with candy. And I can't blame her entirely as there is candy every where we turn. At school (even though it is forbidden, she's been getting it from her teacher and possibly friends), at church (even though we are also told that we aren't supposed to give the kids snacks or candy unless it is incorporated into the lesson), and again at the activity girl things.

She has a whole basket of candy that rotates from Halloween, Christmas, Valentines, Easter and parties or whatever. I have thrown out handfuls of it and it keeps coming into the house. I usually make them forfeit all the candy into their basket and if they eat all their food (and it has to be a well balanced meal), I'll let them pick something out to have as a treat. But because they are getting it all over the place (and not necessarily forfeiting all of it all the time), they are getting too many sweets and something has to change. It got to the point where I practically had to frisk Emily for candy when she got home each day.

Hopefully the experience with the cavities will help Emily not sneak extra sweets any more, but I think we are going to save the candy for special occasions and occasions where they eat something especially difficult for them...like spinach or something...at least until she learns how to brush a heck of a lot better so that she doesn't get any more cavities.

I haven't even done as much baking this past year as I normally do (or I stick to bread and stuff) because I am too afraid of how much sugar and junk they are already getting outside of the home. And it's not fair because I know that I demand a lot from my children and I like to be able to surprise them with treats now and then too.