SUGAR SHOCK! Snapshot Makes Its Debut: Guest Column, "The Sweets-Craving Little Boy Who Was Too Sour for the Subway"

Today, I'm absolutely thrilled to unveil a new feature, which I'm dubbing "SUGAR SHOCK! Snapshot."

Here's what it's about. You know how you go places and you witness the most amazing events and scenarios related to people's consumption of sugar and refined carbs?

Well, this is where you get to be a vital part of this SUGAR SHOCK! Blog. You, dear reader, are invited to tell us about the remarkable things you've seen or experienced while going about your daily live. You are encouraged to send in your SUGAR SHOCK! observations, comments, rants, and raves.

Our first SUGAR SHOCK! Snapshot comes courtesy of Jasmin Singer, a fellow graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition who has a way with words. Read her compelling subway tale.

The Sweets-Craving Little Boy Who Was Too Sour For the Subway

By Jasmin Singer

Subways are a fascinating place to people-watch. They are also an ideal setting to utilize those skills you picked up back in Psych 101.

Well, all too often, I find myself observing the way parents interact with their children -- sadly, they often act quite inappropriately. In fact, sometimes after watching this “parental” behavior, I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't just need a license to drive; you need one to have and raise a child!

Such was the case last week when I was heading uptown [in New York City] on the A train and witnessed a very obvious case of a parental no-no. There was a more-than-plump little boy of about seven, sitting with his legs sprawled out on the train.

This rather rotund little boy was taking up two seats while his very pregnant mother stood near him.  This was during rush hour, when getting a seat is about as likely as winning the New York lottery. (OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit.)

Anyway, an older woman came on to the train and sweetly asked the little boy if he would please move his feet so that she could sit. Whoah! From his reaction, you'd have thought she stole his Teletubbie toy, ripped the head off, and began to wildly beat it against the subway door.  The little boy fuh-reaked out, screaming his little head off, yelling, “No!  No!  I won’t move!  I hate you!”

Everyone in the train turned to see where the racket was coming from. His pregnant mother did absolutely nothing!

This is when I realized that the little boy was suffering from SUGAR SHOCK! In fact, he already had a telltale ring of chocolate around his mouth.

But then, I witnessed his delusional mother actually go into her purse to "bribe" her obese son with yet another piece of candy. Seeing this, the boy started hitting his mother! Next, he yelled “I want!  I want!”

Meanwhile, the mom was was still rummaging through her handbag when the older woman -- who had, by now, found a seat, thanks to a kind gentleman who gave up his own -- told the mother that she should learn how to control her child. 

The mother calmly replied, “He has a learning disability. It’s not his fault.” And then she fed her son a candy bar. Interestingly, he then finally moved his feet off the empty seat.

This mother is right about one thing: It is not her child’s fault that he is misbehaving on such an abusive and uncontrollable level. Obviously he has a “learning disability.” But it's not the kind you'd normally think of.

Her child is clearly suffering from SUGAR SHOCK!

Note from Connie: Have you witnessed a SUGAR SHOCK! moment. Send in your astute observations so we all can learn about what's going on around the world.