i'm probably not the best person to answer this question since it's just my husband and i, and we basically have an empty kitchen all the time. haha

but in my personal experience, it is definitely easier to say no to any cookies, than to try to just eat one and stop. But in the case of your son and the cookies, what you could have done was packed up all the cookies for him and saved yourself just one, and only eat that one after your son is gone with all the cookies. This way you have no opportunity to take another.

although i guess this is the whole mindset thing... need to remember after the first cookie that a second cookie is only a temporary pleasure that leads to long term weight and unhappiness.

I'm an abstainer. But I've found that if I write down an abstainer goal as a "just for today" goal I can get through tough things (for me kids' birthday parties), and can allow myself a reward the next day without setback. It is FAR easier to abstain, though, and not allow the treat.

Could you package the cookies up as soon as they're done and leave one or two out for yourself? "Just for today I won't eat the cookies I've made as a treat for my son"? Could you tell him you've made him a dozen cookies to keep you honest? The biggest thing for me would be to say "just for today I will put nothing in my mouth unless I'm sitting at the table and it's on a plate." Then I wouldn't be able to eat all the cookies as they were cooling, or eat the cookie dough. It would require that I put a cookie on a plate and take it to the table. I write the goal down first thing in the morning after going through my plans for the day, and then I use beeminder to track whether or not I stuck to it (but that part isn't necessary). I'm not always successful, but it is always in the back of my mind.

The other thing that I've been surprised works for me is context, if I put my treats in a specific cookie jar I know they're not for all the time. It sounds ridiculous, but I've actually kept stuff in my house with this trick. I might "sneak" one or two (though I really have tried to stop using that word, as if I should feel guilty ...) but for the most part, seeing the cookie jar reminds me to take a minute to make a conscious decision. Wouldn't help as much in making the cookies, but after it might.

Also, you could bake things you don't like as much that other people like. It's not as fun, I know, but it might cut down?

I was just thinking this the other day. I love to bake and with the holidays that urge is in overdrive. I have young kiddos who also love to help make cookies. I don't want to deny them that but I also don't want to look at a cookie (or dough!). My plan is to not start baking early this month, so it isn't an all-month thing. We will make cookies ONCE, right before Christmas, and make a half batch. So between one or two per person in the family there won't be an abundance for me to get into.

My abstainer philosophy comes from The Happiness Project, http://www.gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/, reading that was the first time I'd ever really given myself permission to STOP trying to moderate things. I'm TERRIBLE at moderation in some areas: allowing myself to watch TV before my work is done, sugar and carbs, POP TARTS, and so I've learned since reading that I should just abstain, not allow myself any. And it works in so many other areas for me. If I tell myself I can't have food between meals I do a lot better than if I tell myself I can have one cookie with everyone else. Things like that.

My Just for Today Goals I write down on a piece of paper before going to bed or first thing in the morning. This is when I generally plan my day and I've done it both in Remember the Milk (so digitally) and on paper, which is what I currently use. I try to pick something that's been bugging me, that I've been thinking about. Generally I have big goals that I'm trying to accomplish, and if I haven't made any progress I'll make the next step my most important task or my just for today goal, but not always. Today my just for today was to track all of my eating, because I've been off MFP for awhile. Yesterday it was to not eat anything I had to unwrap (tea doesn't count). I failed yesterday, but succeeded today. But even yesterday I lasted long enough that it stopped me from eating a few things I shouldn't. Because I write these goals in my bullet journal I'm looking at them often, which makes it easier to keep.

Am I making any sense? I'm afraid I'm rambling.

Sometimes these goals are silly or relate to other things. "Make the kids laugh 5 separate times, each," was once a most important task, and my just for today goal that day was to take a deep breath before yelling at the kids (I hate admitting that I need to remind myself not to do that).

I've only been doing this for a little while, but I find that accomplishing these little things makes me feel like I've done something major, and when I think "oh I really want [insert thing here]" it's a lot easier to say, "I'm not doing that today. Just for today." than it is to say "I don't do that anymore." Or "I don't need that." Short goals are easier.