Baked Goods

I have close to zero self-control around baked goods. Well, I should clarify: baked goods from my own home. I can shun store bought sugar cookies like a snake oil salesman with leprosy. No problem. But when those sugar cookies are baked at home, you might as well bring me a pair of sweatpants because I’m settling in and not coming up for air until that plate is clean.

So when the kids started watching Kids Baking Championship and turning our kitchen into a diabetes dreamhouse, I had to come up with a different strategy. You try saying no to a white chocolate chip blondie baked to perfection held up to you by your eight-year-old son as he asks, “Is it good, daddy?” Not only that, but the whole house, even the upstairs closets, smells like warm,delicious baked good heaven. Only a tundra-hearted parent hell bent on shelling out fistfuls of cash for therapy could turn to that kid and say, “No.” Granted, that person could also just take one bite and move on with the day, but let’s be reasonable, Who does that? I’ve simply asked the kids to keep the baked goods out of sight. It at least gives me a fighting chance and just enough time to remind myself “You are stronger than a sugar cookie.” Truth is, some days that sugar cookie takes me down faster than David felled Goliath. And I’m ok with it. It’s a good reminder that will power is a finite resource and sometimes the answer is to put small obstacles in your own way.

-be cool and care