Dear Amy: I hope this doesn’t seem like a silly question.

I have twin boys (almost 3 years old!).

I regularly take them to our big grocery store, in part to give my wife (a really great full-time, stay-at-home mom) a break. And also, of course, to pick up groceries. Lots of groceries.

So when we’re at the market, I like to cruise the “free samples,” and I offer the boys a snack as we go. These are small things and they’re usually healthy snacks. Just nibbly things to keep them busy.

My wife doesn’t like me offering them snacks between meals.

My folks are on her side, her folks seem to be on my side, and our siblings are divided on this topic.

We agreed to ask you and your readers.

– Snackin’ Dad

Dear Dad: First of all, any question involving toddlers is both silly and not silly. Daily life with children at this stage can be crowded with matters that can seem very important, until you gain some perspective in retrospect.

Basically, raising young children is a humbling trip to the funny farm.

I’m wondering why you are polling so many family members about this. Are you hoping for a tie-breaker?

My take is that whichever adult has the fortitude to take twin toddlers through the superstore should use whatever means necessary to basically complete the mission, and should not necessarily discuss the details later.

You can email Amy Dickinson at [email protected] or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.