Parents let their kids eat trash?
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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?
Deep-fried foods = trash?
WTH?0 -
So much judgement in one little thread. Whatever happened to minding your own business? I say this generally, not just to the OP. And feeding my kids pizza is child abuse? M'kay.
My kids aren't allowed to go over 1200 calories and I don't let them eat their baseball/trampoline/bikeriding/etc calories back.
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It is really hard to get kids to eat " healthy" I don't we're it comes from but it's programmed into their heads !! My children and I eat the same thing , I eat healthy and they will either eat it or go hungry , but I do mix it up for them , When I was a child there was NOOOO junk in the house which is great but when I went off on my own I binged on foods I was taught to never have , so in my home those junk foods aren't off limits I just teach my children that they ARE NOT food !! And not something we have everday or even every other day ....kids should be allowed to have ice cream , candy and whatever from time to time ...being a parent you have to be extremely creative , find ways to cook certain veggies that they will actually eat ! I find my kids LOVE baked broccoli but won't touch steamed ??? Weird ...chicken is always a safe food for my kids , I put it in sauce , roll ups etc. when we go out to eat it usually is something a bit more sinister but just like us adults going out to eat is a treat and usually involves eating something we normally wouldn't serve at our own table
but I may go a healthier choice for myself at a restaurant because I'm the only one with the weight issue so seems to me I've used up all my cheat days so to speak 
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I'd also like to point out that just because a kid is overweight does not mean that their parent does not care and is feeding them crap. Often times the kid has eyes bigger than what their calorie needs are and as they get older and are feeding themselves...it just adds to the issues. I have been trying to help my daughter lose weight for YEARS. She's 11 now. We talk about food and portion control and how to balance out meals with protein, veg, dairy, fruit at every opportunity. Its not secret why she's overweight. She eats portions bigger than she should when I'm not there to monitor. She was fixing a snack yesterday afternoon...I came in the kitchen. She had a glass of milk that she was getting ready to put some ovaltine in that was at least two servings, a bag of nuts that was about 250calories, and a piece of fruit. That snack alone had I not intervened would have been 700 calories. Good choices...bad portion sizes.0
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I remember pre-children...when I was perfect, thin, a professional coach, super active and had to eat an excess of calories simply to keep my weight up. I clearly remember being in McDonald's judging an overweight family and saying to my husband "we are NEVER going to feed our children like that!" I had McDonald's once while I pregnant with my first and I felt such guilt that I had somehow damaged him with that going through my bloodstream.
Fast forward 10 years. Now have 4 kids. We went through McDonald's drivethru just yesterday because I was in a hurry. For my 10-year olds birthday, he wanted two McDonalds 2 cheeseburger meals for lunch. The little skinny bugger (he's a competitive swimmer) ate 4 cheeseburgers and 2 large fries in about 5 mins. It was disgusting and if you had seen me parenting that day, I would have been labelled a horrible parent. But he will also eat the same amount of salmon or chicken breast or broccoli or grapefruit and all the "healthy" stuff we eat at home. That's what my kids do. All 4 are skinny as can be but they eat non-stop. And if I don't want hysterical, hungry children on my hands, I will feed them crap if that is what is around when I haven't planned well...like yesterday.
#1 rule I learned as a parent - NEVER say NEVER...because I will evidently look like an *kitten* at some future point.0 -
What has having a child got to do with the food choice? Parents are the ones buying it..... if the child refuses to eat what they are told to eat then they go without.
Anyone who says ' I'm guessing you dont have children then' is using poor parenting choices as an excuse. YOU Are the adult...not your child. YOU are the one buying it,.... not your child. YOU are the one who makes the decision on what they eat...not your child.
Stop making excuses.
Teaching our children moderation when they are allowed to eat what they want when we go out to eat maybe once every month or two is a poor parenting choice? :noway:0 -
Bottom line here kids need their parents to teach them what REAL FOOD is ...their should be no diet food Involved unless your kids are being served slim fast !! Which would just be RIDICULOUS, kids need to understand food is made to fuel us and what you eat will either slow you down or perk u up...Lyell a kid she will run faster than super man if she eats here brocooli spears and baked chicken ....he/she will probably eat it 0
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From people watching at amusement parks and playgrounds, I noticed that parents never force their kids to do homework.
Lol!0 -
When I was a kid, my family very rarely ate out, and never at fast food places. We had meat, much of it hunted or homegrown, homegrown vegetables from Dad's garden, and I ate what my parents ate, period, there was no separate meal for the kid. I loved vegetables from childhood on, despite the fact that Mom cooked all veggies until soft. The only things I learned to hate were fried fish and canned tuna. --- Now I'm curious. Why do parents let their kids eat fast food and fried stuff? Why would the kids be allowed to make the decision? Is it just to avoid arguing with them about what they will eat? Wouldn't it be best to tell the kids you'll eat healthy food, you don't have a choice? Would somebody be kind enough to inform me?
Because some parents are the worst kind of parents who have no idea how to just say NO to their kids
Or because some parents want to teach their children moderation.0 -
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?
If we're talking about what they're eating at restaurants, it's entirely possible the parents simply don't restrict what their children can order. My mother always watched what my brother and I ate while we were growing up and she told us "Untill you're 18, you and your bodies are my responsibility to be sure you're healthy". That meant that we ate balanced meals at home, to include our vegetables. But when we went out, she didn't say what we could or could not eat.
These parents may be doing the same thing- continuing their own healthy habits while letting the kids eat what they want. In that case, the only potential issue is how regular going out to eat is with that family.0 -
My kids will eat most of what I eat at home including tilapia, tofu and selected veggies, lol...when we go out they are free to choose their dinner cause they're kids and they enjoy their French fries and chicken strips and of course a trip to the ice cream store!0
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First let me say I'm a mother of 4 and step mother to 3. The excuses to feed kids garbage on here are just amazing...picky eaters, that's all they have on the kids menu. Blah, blah blah... Hey guess what, you don't HAVE to order from the kids menu, you can *gasp* order them something a bit more healthy from the adult menu and split it between you and them, since we all know the portion sizes at restaurants are way too big. So why is it all the picky children only live in the US or the overindulged European nations? How is it a Asian child can eat vegetables, lean meats and rice, but an american child has a special tongue that can't handle it? I lived in the Phillippines when I was 8-12 years old and the things my young tongue ate would just blow your mind. Squid, fish head soup, stir fry, etc and I liked it. I was taught you eat what is given to you or don't eat at all, which my kids are taught now too. My 3 year old and 5 year old love baked fish, beans, quinoa, asparagus, greek yogurt, etc...all the things I eat. Making excuses is just lazy parenting if you ask me. It's an epidemic of lazy, spoiled over indulged people turning their children into the same thing.0
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I don't have kids, but I can't imagine kids are all that complaint with healthy eating. I'd definitely mind your own business on this one.
For sure!0 -
It is nice to see so many responses from parents with balance. I don't have children, but i am thankful for my parents * introducing me to healthy food while young. There are many people my age who ate next to no vegetables growing up, and now think of a vegetable side as mac and cheese. I am glad that I actually like healthy food, and can also treat myself to less healthy food when I want it. I crave kale as much or more often than I crave ice cream. Right now I'm craving okra (fried, baby).
*aside from the six months or so we were "fruitatarians", but the parents have since apologized for that, lol.0 -
I don't have kids, but when I do they're going to eat what I give them and like it.
But then when that doesn't work and they throw a temper tantrum, I am definitely bringing them to McDonald's to shut them up and give myself some piece and quiet. Not going to be an everyday thing though, I've seen some parents that will literally spoil their kids with junk food, and that's just not good at all in my opinion. Just gonna make sure they go out and run it off so a. they don't get chubby (been there as a little kid - sucks) and b. they pass out when they come inside for bed.0 -
Oh... I was hoping to see parents letting their kids eat actual trash.
Now I'm disappointed.0 -
Well Sesame Street thinks it OK...so.....0 -
No Foods are Inherently Fattening!
This study showing that “reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize.” - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246357
This study which found “diets differing substantially in glycemic load induce comparable long-term weight loss.”- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413101
Professor Mark Haub who lost 27lbs and improved markers of health while eating a diet consisting of Twinkies.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
Flexible dieting
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11707550
Can I say I think you're awesome for actually citing legitimate sources.0 -
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Oh... I was hoping to see parents letting their kids eat actual trash.
Now I'm disappointed.
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First let me say I'm a mother of 4 and step mother to 3. The excuses to feed kids garbage on here are just amazing...picky eaters, that's all they have on the kids menu. Blah, blah blah... Hey guess what, you don't HAVE to order from the kids menu, you can *gasp* order them something a bit more healthy from the adult menu and split it between you and them, since we all know the portion sizes at restaurants are way too big. So why is it all the picky children only live in the US or the overindulged European nations? How is it a Asian child can eat vegetables, lean meats and rice, but an american child has a special tongue that can't handle it? I lived in the Phillippines when I was 8-12 years old and the things my young tongue ate would just blow your mind. Squid, fish head soup, stir fry, etc and I liked it. I was taught you eat what is given to you or don't eat at all, which my kids are taught now too. My 3 year old and 5 year old love baked fish, beans, quinoa, asparagus, greek yogurt, etc...all the things I eat. Making excuses is just lazy parenting if you ask me. It's an epidemic of lazy, spoiled over indulged people turning their children into the same thing.
The fact that people feel that it's okay to call other people bad or lazy parents because they allow their kids to have ice cream or chicken nuggets occasionally just astounds me. I wouldn't call someone a bad parent for never allowing their children those things, that is their personal choice. So many judgemental people who feel that their way is the only right way.0 -
I know right??? This mother just let hers eat trash, and this is what ensued \m/
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/07/22/cub-reunited-with-family-after-getting-trapped-in-azusa-dumpster/0 -
Parents tend to think something along the lines of:" They are kids, they should be able to eat whatever" or "They are growing" or.. "They have fast metabolic rates, it's okay" I don't think that's right in my opinion especially if the parents are not preaching good eating habits to their kids. We develop our eating habits from a very early age, and they continue through out our life. At the end of the day, kids are kids and shouldn't have to worry about calories and their candy consumption, but I do believe there should always be that common sense in the back of their minds that guide them towards healthier food choices.
Edit - don't be so quick to judge, they were eating out, you don't know anything about their lives.
This.
I have friends whose attitude is, "My kid's not fat, so therefore if we eat McDonald's 4 nights a week, it's fine". They don't think about it from a vitamins/minerals/balanced diet or habits perspective.
My boyfriend has always been a fussy eater. He's not overweight, but it's kind of embarrassing that he asks for plain spaghetti without any sauce in an upmarket restaurant, or opts for chicken nuggets and chips at a Chinese restaurant.0 -
If given the choice off the kids menu at places my kids like to go, my youngest (3 almost 4)usually chooses the grilled chicken option and broccoli or grapes. My oldest gets pasta and sometimes mac and cheese. If they have chinese dumplings, she gets that.
just saying....
Edited to add: My youngest generally eats way healthier than my oldest, but we are working on it.....0 -
I think on society nowadays...parents need to disapline and teach their kids more respect than pointing out with the healthy foods. They're growing for Pete's sake.. let them have their choice of foods.0
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I kept my daughter eating clean at home, with restaurant food usually being pizza or grilled cheese on whole wheat.
Once she started school, however, the teachers started feeding the children pure junk. Math was taught with M&Ms and Froot Loops. Hard candy was slipped to them during tests. My girl has ADHD and I was desperately trying to keep the poisons out of her mouth to help manage the symptoms. I offered to buy health food Froot Loop analogs without all the artifical stuff, but they refused.
What happened? They continued to give her junk food but told her not to tell her parents. Then they reported me to Child Protective Services. True story.0 -
This will not end well. :huh:
Agreed....in for impending drama!
Oh yeah! This thread will probably be locked by the time I get home. Guess I won't ever know what happens. :noway:
Edit: smiley added0 -
I kept my daughter eating clean at home, with restaurant food usually being pizza or grilled cheese on whole wheat.
Once she started school, however, the teachers started feeding the children pure junk. Math was taught with M&Ms and Froot Loops. Hard candy was slipped to them during tests. My girl has ADHD and I was desperately trying to keep the poisons out of her mouth to help manage the symptoms. I offered to buy health food Froot Loop analogs without all the artifical stuff, but they refused.
What happened? They continued to give her junk food but told her not to tell her parents. Then they reported me to Child Protective Services. True story.
You just called M&M's and Fruit Loops poison.....0 -
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
Wishes I had a picture of my 3ft tall four year old eating his foot long corn dog on Sunday......0 -
Impossible for me to say since I don't have children.
I myself was given what I wanted, crisps (chips for those in the US) for dinner, microwave cheeseburgers, deep fried sausage rolls (I did that myself, my parents had no idea). I was about 175lbs when I was 11 years old (5 foot 5 inches). My parents loved me, it wasn't neglect or abuse, I was a quiet child and my mother had four other children to care for and I was the youngest so I was spoiled.
I personally feel very sad when I see this, if the child is in any way chubby. You can tell by looking at them if this is a common. I have two nieces. I personally have never brought them any junk, though I do bake with them or make pancakes. One is a dream child, loves vegetables. The other won't eat anything that isn't a chicken nugget. Sometimes parents simply don't have a choice and I don't think they deserve to be judged for it. All they can do it try to encourage them to have an interest in vegetables or cook them fresh chicken instead of nuggets.
When I make them dinner, as long as I ask "Do you like......?", and respect what they say, I can always have them eat the vegetables by getting them to decide to eat them themselves, and most importantly, cooking the vegetables in a way that was tasty, not like the salty boiled to death carrots I hated as a child.
But that takes time, and I'm not a parent so I'm not as busy, and so have the time to spend 20 minutes modelling broccoli into a tree with carrots as the trunk :laugh:
But seriously, unless the kid rolls instead of walks, I don't think any judgement is necessary0
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