Please, Don't Feed the Baby

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a craft sale here in town.  There's one vendor who has some delicious preserves, chocolate sauces, etc.  I purchased some preserves from them at the show in November, and decided that I wanted to try some more of their products.  The lady was very friendly and helpful, and was very happy to let me sample their products.  Then she looks at BB, and says, "Has he tried chocolate yet?"  (In her adorable little British accent.)

I cheerfully said, "No", not expecting what was coming next.

She then dipped a popsicle stick in a jar of chocolate sauce, and started walking towards his stroller saying, "Oh, well, let's give him a little taste then!"  (The accent is suddenly not so adorable.)

My mother and I both practically jumped out of our skin and quickly said, "NO!"  

The lady looked at me like I had three heads.  How dare I deprive my six and a half month old from experiencing the joys of chocolate?

Fast forward to the next day.  I took BB to the children's Christmas party hosted by my office.  I was sharing the chocolate story with my co-workers and couldn't understand why no one there seemed to understand my disgust with the situation.  Then I looked around.  Four of the six kids that were under a year old were all sucking on garlic fingers!  Only BB, and a two month old who couldn't even hold his head up were the only two not going to town on the greasy old things.  

What is wrong with these people?  For starters, everything I've read says that you shouldn't introduce chocolate to a baby until they're at least a year old.  And really, the day he turns a year, do you really think I'm going to say, "Here baby, have a chocolate bar!"  Um, no.  And why are these people feeding their kids garlic fingers?  As long as BB is young enough that I am able to control what he eats, I want him to eat healthy food, not crap.  I want him to develop an appreciation for healthy food.  When he gets a bit older I will have no issues with him having a treat.  We all do it.  But for now I don't want him to develop a taste for junk food.  And people wonder why there is an obesity problem in North America.  

Today we had some family here visiting for lunch.  BB had already had a bowl of bananas (which he gobbled down!) and had been breast fed.  He was definitely full, and was sitting happily in his high chair with us while we ate.  One of our guests looks at him and says to me, "Oh, I feel so bad eating in front of him."  She then looks at BB and says, "I wish I could give you some food from my plate, but I know they wouldn't like that."  No sh*t we wouldn't like that!  This is someone who is always telling us that she would like to babysit for us sometime.  I had been starting to consider leaving BB with her some evening so that DH and I could have a couple of hours out.  Not now.  I'm too worried that she'll try to slip him some food that I'm not ready to introduce to him.  She definitely blew her chances for a while. 

Why do people seem to think they know better than I do what's best for my baby?  He's our son, and we are doing what we feel is best for him.  Giving him some chocolate, or a garlic finger, or a piece of bacon or french toast is not something that I feel would benefit him at this point.  I don't think I'm wrong for feeling this way.  And if I do find out that someone has been slipping BB food behind my back, thinking that what Mommy doesn't know won't hurt her, they should be aware that if Mommy does find out, there's a good chance they are going to be cut out of BB's life.  I'm that serious about this topic.