My toddler thinks my gummy vitamins are candy - help!
Okay, so I need to vent and maybe get some advice. My 4-year-old found my bottle of omega-3 gummy vitamins and thought they were 'special candy.' He ate like 5 before I caught him! No harm done (called poison control just in case), but now he keeps asking for 'fishy candy' every day. Has anyone else dealt with this? I'm trying to teach him about supplements vs. treats, but he's not getting it. Also, he refuses the chewable vitamins I got him because they're 'not squishy enough' - kids, right?
LOL, been there! My wife did the same thing with my homemade elderberry gummies last winter - thought they were fancy gummies from the store. I make mine with a firmer gelatin texture so they're less candy-like, but she still sneaks them. Maybe try DIY? You can control the texture and sweetness. I add a bit of lemon juice to mine so they're tart, not sweet. Kids usually hate that. Plus, you know exactly what's in them - no weird fillers.
Oh dear, that's concerning! My grandson did something similar with his mother's vitamin C gummies. He had a tummy ache afterward, poor thing. Are you sure they're safe in those quantities? Perhaps switch to liquid supplements or powders mixed into smoothies. Less tempting for little hands. I always recommend keeping vitamins in high, locked cabinets - safety first! How is your little one feeling now?
Thanks, both! @PurePete421, DIY sounds interesting but I'm so busy with work and preschool runs. Maybe a weekend project? @HolisticHolly718, he's totally fine - no tummy issues, thankfully. I've moved the bottle to the top shelf now. He's still mad about it though, haha. The smoothie idea might work if I can hide the taste. He's picky about textures, so liquids could be easier.
If you try DIY, start with a basic recipe: gelatin, juice, honey. You can pour it into ice cube trays for small portions. And yeah, the texture is key - make them more rubbery than gummy. As for the smoothie thing, I hide spinach in my kid's smoothies with frozen berries. They never know! Good luck!