Parents let their kids eat trash?

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Replies

  • nikikeenan
    nikikeenan Posts: 15 Member
    made me LOL
  • highmaintnance
    highmaintnance Posts: 215 Member
    Why are so many people connecting "skinny", "thin", "thin as a rail" with "healthy." I don't understand how:

    not obese = healthy

    No, I don't have kids. Yes, I understand all the reasons mentioned previously for why parents might order less-than-healthy options for their kids at a restaurant. That's not what bothers me. The number of comments saying "my kids are skinny" as if that somehow means they're healthy. Or that they're in the XX percentile. I realize that means they're at a healthy weight/size, but not that necessarily that they are healthy.


    I do agree that skinny does not equal healthy.
  • rachseby
    rachseby Posts: 285 Member
    Beat me to it. Thanks! :flowerforyou:
    [/quote]

    Beat me to it also. :)

    This is just more of the same parenting arguments

    I breastfed why can't you, your a bad parent.
    My child eats a perfect vegan diet why can't yours, your a bad parent.
    My child is in three after school sports why can't yours, your a bad parent.
    My child can read chapter books at age 1 why can't yours, your a bad parent.
    My child gets vaccinated why can't yours, your a bad parent.

    Do you beat your child? Do you lock them in a basement chained to a wall? Do you purposefully starve them? Do you ignore them constantly? Do you abuse them? Did you sell your child to the highest bidder?
    answer no to all of the above? Guess what your NOT a bad parent!


    [/quote]
    Uh-oh....
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    Eh I just mentioned mine were so low weight as "proof" that we don't eat chicken nuggets and ranch every meal. I figure they need whole milk and extra calories because they run off everything I do give them, hence eating out 3-4 times a month won't hurt much. I realize that thin doesn't equal healthy, but in the case of this discussion it shows that we aren't all overfeeding our kids high calorie food every meal.

    It's a lot easier for someone to look over and judge a parent at McDonald's with a chunky kid, than a parent with a skinny kid.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Why are so many people connecting "skinny", "thin", "thin as a rail" with "healthy." I don't understand how:

    not obese = healthy

    No, I don't have kids. Yes, I understand all the reasons mentioned previously for why parents might order less-than-healthy options for their kids at a restaurant. That's not what bothers me. The number of comments saying "my kids are skinny" as if that somehow means they're healthy. Or that they're in the XX percentile. I realize that means they're at a healthy weight/size, but not that necessarily that they are healthy.

    I agree too. My son went through quite a skinny phase, because he barely ate at all. I don't do fast food, but I can guarantee that, even now he's 4, if I took him somewhere like McDonald's he wouldn't eat anything anyway, except a few fries.

    He's got better at eating, and is a normal weight, although still thin for his height, which is above average for his age. I don't think that makes him healthier though. He still doesn't eat enough. He's not too fussy or picky or whatever, he just doesn't eat much. If I didn't make him meals and tell him to eat, he probably wouldn't even ask for food. Nursery say that he sits for an hour eating his lunch sometimes because he has to be persuaded! Luckily the things he does really enjoy eating are healthy things...tuna, jacket potato, egg, chicken, broccoli, fishcakes...

    My daughter, who's 2, is a much better eater. I've no idea why.


    I do agree that skinny does not equal healthy.
  • KokowithaK
    KokowithaK Posts: 88 Member
    Why are so many people connecting "skinny", "thin", "thin as a rail" with "healthy." I don't understand how:

    not obese = healthy

    No, I don't have kids. Yes, I understand all the reasons mentioned previously for why parents might order less-than-healthy options for their kids at a restaurant. That's not what bothers me. The number of comments saying "my kids are skinny" as if that somehow means they're healthy. Or that they're in the XX percentile. I realize that means they're at a healthy weight/size, but not that necessarily that they are healthy.

    I was thinking the same thing. I grew up a skinny kid and still am 'thin'. But before I joined MFP, I was anything but healthy. I'm not really judging anyone here just making some observations, but if you take your child out on ocassion and let them get unhealthy foods (even if sparingly), would this put the association of going out to eat with eating unhealthy? I went out sparingly as a child to McDonald's, but when I did, I ordered 2-3 big Macs. I figured, 'this is my time to really EAT!' so I used that time to eat as much crap food as possible. Because of this habit, I associated going out with pigging out on unhealthy food that to this day, is really hard for me to overcome. What made it worse was that I was going out 2-4 times a week. I used going out as an excuse to eat unhealthy. What I wish my parents instilled in me was eating in smaller, healthier portions even when going out.
  • StacyReneO
    StacyReneO Posts: 317 Member
    I have 3 kids and when we eat out they can order what they want. It's fun for them and allows them to make choices for themselves. Sometimes, the one or two of them will ask what the healthiest thing on the menu is. At home I would say they eat pretty healthy. I avoid gluten for them as much as I can, one has a milk allergy so we use almond milk, brown rice pasta, sprouted grain bread, all of them love broccoli. If they ask for snacks throughout the day they know they have a choice of raw veggies, fruit or some kind of protein (usually string cheese or deli meat roll-ups).
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!
  • RunFarLiveHappy
    RunFarLiveHappy Posts: 805 Member
    From people watching at amusement parks and playgrounds, I noticed that parents never force their kids to do homework.

    Or do laundry, dishes & other chores!!!
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Wow.
    I've seen kids' menus and wondered why so much fried junk, but had no idea some kids are so picky, or that parents have to fight to get them to eat right. In my home it was, eat what I cook or go hungry, and we never went to fast food places. My family was German-American and mom cooked ( she hated to cook, just hated it) the same way her mother and grandmother did. The first time in my life that I ever had pizza was on my first date with my now-hubby, at age 17. But I loved (and still do) German smoked blood sausage, which said boyfriend had never heard of. Vive la cultural differences!
  • DragonSquatter
    DragonSquatter Posts: 957 Member
    Why are so many people connecting "skinny", "thin", "thin as a rail" with "healthy." I don't understand how:

    not obese = healthy

    No, I don't have kids. Yes, I understand all the reasons mentioned previously for why parents might order less-than-healthy options for their kids at a restaurant. That's not what bothers me. The number of comments saying "my kids are skinny" as if that somehow means they're healthy. Or that they're in the XX percentile. I realize that means they're at a healthy weight/size, but not that necessarily that they are healthy.

    I see your point, however, childhood obesity is a major contributing risk factor to heart disease and other major long-term adult illnesses. While the skinny kids may not necessarily be the epitome of health, obesity in childhood is a serious issue, especially prolonged obesity in childhood. Children who are obese for years in childhood run a lot higher risk for diabetes, certain types of cancer, and heart disease over children who are not.

    Checkout the Bogalusa Heart Study if you want to know just how bad being obese throughout childhood can be. http://tulane.edu/som/cardiohealth/

    The risks of obesity are long-term, not short term.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Between Instagram and people-watching at restaurants, I notice that parents will make healthy decisions for themselves, but order deep-friend/fatty foods for their own kids. Why is that?

    Sorry, didn't read all the replies but here's my 2 cents.

    The whole premise of this is based on the notion that there are good foods and bad foods which is a very black & white approach to things (one often taken by so-called diet gurus....you know who they are....in an effort to vilify the bad food de jour and sell books).

    Without knowing how these kids are fed on a day by day basis we're simply not in a position to judge. The occasional feast of chicken nuggets and fries is not going to kill the kids, a steady diet of them certainly would not be advisable.

    My kids were aberrations when they were younger, at the Chinese buffet they would both gladly demolish a plate full of broccoli rather than sweet and sour chicken balls or egg rolls and they hated the golden arches.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!
    [/quote




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.
    ].
    ]
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.

    eye-roll1.gif

    Pretty sure there was some sarcasm in there.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,970 Member
    That's why there's so much obesity. You learn the bad habits young that carry on into adulthood.

    I know parents who do not feed their kids sugar or processed foods at all and the kids are not deprived and they love the food they eat because it's all they know. They don't have ADHD, are healthy and love, love, love fruit as a dessert and eat veggies like candy and nuts and avocado and coconut oil for fat. It's the way it should be in a healthy world.
    There's obesity because of over consumption. Don't think that "healthy" home meal cooking doesn't get people fat. The South has more obese people in the US and is well known for their cooking.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,970 Member
    This exact subject makes me so damn irritated! I swear people think that it is child abuse if you feed your kids healthy food! And you know what?!? I hate even calling it healthy food! IT'S FOOD!! REAL DAMN FOOD!! The garbage that most people feed their kids is disgusting!! I have people judge me all the time because my kids eat what I eat...vegetables, proteins, low sugar. They think that I am being unfair to my kids and that I'm not feeding them real food. I love how people think that hot dogs, cookies, candy, pizza, etc is a great diet for kids. To me, FEEDING YOUR KIDS THAT CRAP IS ABUSE!! Sorry! Had to rant..I was having this exact discussion with someone today because they said they couldn't diet because they couldn't feed their kids diet food!!! What exactly is diet food?? Are you talking vegetables, fiber, good oils/fats, lean meats? Because that is real food!! GRRRR
    To you it's crap. To others, it's food. No need to diss people's choices as garbage.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    This exact subject makes me so damn irritated! I swear people think that it is child abuse if you feed your kids healthy food! And you know what?!? I hate even calling it healthy food! IT'S FOOD!! REAL DAMN FOOD!! The garbage that most people feed their kids is disgusting!! I have people judge me all the time because my kids eat what I eat...vegetables, proteins, low sugar. They think that I am being unfair to my kids and that I'm not feeding them real food. I love how people think that hot dogs, cookies, candy, pizza, etc is a great diet for kids. To me, FEEDING YOUR KIDS THAT CRAP IS ABUSE!! Sorry! Had to rant..I was having this exact discussion with someone today because they said they couldn't diet because they couldn't feed their kids diet food!!! What exactly is diet food?? Are you talking vegetables, fiber, good oils/fats, lean meats? Because that is real food!! GRRRR

    I was recently told that letting my 8 year old son participate in a crossfit workout with me is child abuse...

    ...and now I learn that what I let them eat is also abuse.


    Seems legit.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    This exact subject makes me so damn irritated! I swear people think that it is child abuse if you feed your kids healthy food! And you know what?!? I hate even calling it healthy food! IT'S FOOD!! REAL DAMN FOOD!! The garbage that most people feed their kids is disgusting!! I have people judge me all the time because my kids eat what I eat...vegetables, proteins, low sugar. They think that I am being unfair to my kids and that I'm not feeding them real food. I love how people think that hot dogs, cookies, candy, pizza, etc is a great diet for kids. To me, FEEDING YOUR KIDS THAT CRAP IS ABUSE!! Sorry! Had to rant..I was having this exact discussion with someone today because they said they couldn't diet because they couldn't feed their kids diet food!!! What exactly is diet food?? Are you talking vegetables, fiber, good oils/fats, lean meats? Because that is real food!! GRRRR
    To you it's crap. To others, it's food. No need to diss people's choices as garbage.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    Actually I think they do need to, because otherwise there's no good reason to eat "real" foods like lima beans and kale and celery.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.

    eye-roll1.gif

    Pretty sure there was some sarcasm in there.

    Oy vey.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.

    eye-roll1.gif

    Pretty sure there was some sarcasm in there.




    Actually no sarcasm intended...just the thought of trying to have a nice quiet restaurant dinner (NOT in a fast food place) with somebody's obnoxious kids screaming about what they will or won't eat.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.

    eye-roll1.gif

    Pretty sure there was some sarcasm in there.




    Actually no sarcasm intended...just the thought of trying to have a nice quiet restaurant dinner (NOT in a fast food place) with somebody's obnoxious kids screaming about what they will or won't eat.

    Letting kids scream for an hour is sarcasm.....

    If you need a quite dinner without kids, check out a restaurant that doesn't allow them....I hear they're out there.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It's like with us, moderation is key. When they eat at home, it's (relatively) healthy. So they get a happy meal once a week. Big deal. Heck sometimes you're just happy that they'll eat anything...
  • TMcChamp
    TMcChamp Posts: 165 Member
    Haven't read all the replies.
    I have a 3 year old who has a diet mixed between - picking her own snow peas and cherry tomatoes from the garden for a snack, to eating possibly once a fortnight chips and nuggets. If we go out for dinner the kids menu 98% of the time looks like this "chips and nuggets, fish and chips, burger and chips, pizza with chips and spaghetti or lasagne and chips".
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.

    eye-roll1.gif

    Pretty sure there was some sarcasm in there.




    Actually no sarcasm intended...just the thought of trying to have a nice quiet restaurant dinner (NOT in a fast food place) with somebody's obnoxious kids screaming about what they will or won't eat.

    When kids in restaurants are screaming for whatever reason usually as their already embarrassed parents usher them out of earshot, it is because they are learning the rules, don't have a good handle on their emotions yet, and etc. When grown women are whining on the internet about everything all the time in the most negative and obnoxious ways repeatedly and calling little kids who are still in the learning curve "obnoxious" it is because they are :devil: .
  • KiltFuPanda
    KiltFuPanda Posts: 574 Member
    After reading all 15 pages of this, I'm going to go home and hug my wife. We have a very active and sometimes demanding 3 year old, who loves hot dogs and cheese sticks and pizza and bacon and .... tofu and baked chicken and broccoli and edamame and green beans. This is because she offers him good foods more often than the "bad" foods, but doesn't shy away from the kid stuff as if it was poison.

    It's MODERATION, people. It's not going to be a killer to have a hot dog twice a week. Or one cheese stick a day. And as for the fried and fatty foods? Maybe that's a treat for them. We have a system where he has 7 "chores" a day, such as brushing teeth - for each one done, he gets a "smiley". If he wants candy, he can have a small piece in exchange for 5 smileys - but if he wants a new toy, he can trade in 20 smileys for a toy from the dollar section instead. If someone has an issue with me giving him a few squares of chocolate - hell, he EARNED it!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Let me sum up the thread.

    charlie_zpsed21d5d2.jpg

    Agreed 100%.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Ahh let me say it...

    Dear Parents,
    Thank you for allowing your child to have that fried greasy piece of chicken heaven...because I surely don't want to sit in a restaurant for 1hr listening to them scream over why he/she has to eat another bite of peas & carrots....just sayin CHEERS! let them enjoy! and be KIDS!




    Actually, any kids that act like that in ANY public place should be taken out immediately. No reason they have to act like baboons, or be permitted to annoy others.

    eye-roll1.gif

    Pretty sure there was some sarcasm in there.




    Actually no sarcasm intended...just the thought of trying to have a nice quiet restaurant dinner (NOT in a fast food place) with somebody's obnoxious kids screaming about what they will or won't eat.

    When kids in restaurants are screaming for whatever reason usually as their already embarrassed parents usher them out of earshot, it is because they are learning the rules, don't have a good handle on their emotions yet, and etc. When grown women are whining on the internet about everything all the time in the most negative and obnoxious ways repeatedly and calling little kids who are still in the learning curve "obnoxious" it is because they are :devil: .

    95.gif
  • mjrkearney
    mjrkearney Posts: 408 Member
    Oh, god, I just remembered the daily Whatchamacalits in pre-school. Yes, pre-school. I was 4.

    Introduced to coffee as a staple at 8.

    Addicted to pop/ caffeine by 12.

    Sneaking food out of shame from before I can remember.

    Taco Bell Thursdays.

    Frozen Pizza Fridays.

    Canned soup night.

    When was I supposed to develop a healthy relationship with food?

    Granted, Instagram didn't exist back then and if I'd argued about what was for dinner I would have eaten my own teeth.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    in all fairness... my kids are only permitted to eat garbage on our dumpster diving days...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,970 Member
    This exact subject makes me so damn irritated! I swear people think that it is child abuse if you feed your kids healthy food! And you know what?!? I hate even calling it healthy food! IT'S FOOD!! REAL DAMN FOOD!! The garbage that most people feed their kids is disgusting!! I have people judge me all the time because my kids eat what I eat...vegetables, proteins, low sugar. They think that I am being unfair to my kids and that I'm not feeding them real food. I love how people think that hot dogs, cookies, candy, pizza, etc is a great diet for kids. To me, FEEDING YOUR KIDS THAT CRAP IS ABUSE!! Sorry! Had to rant..I was having this exact discussion with someone today because they said they couldn't diet because they couldn't feed their kids diet food!!! What exactly is diet food?? Are you talking vegetables, fiber, good oils/fats, lean meats? Because that is real food!! GRRRR
    To you it's crap. To others, it's food. No need to diss people's choices as garbage.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    Actually I think they do need to, because otherwise there's no good reason to eat "real" foods like lima beans and kale and celery.
    Calling food choices crap and garbage will get others to eat "real" food? You do realize that overweight, obese people hear that **** everyday? And by golly I guess it's working.:huh:

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition