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Do you think parents should teach their kids how to count calories?
Replies
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kshama2001 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Well that was just an example - a good one, I thought, since most people here do not have cheque books now.
And I wasn't talking any age in particular - I don't think it is constructive to teach calorie counting at any age just as a ' skill you will need in life'
I never said they would need it. I hope they don't. I don't regret anything I've learned whether I need that information or not.
I still use a check book, but I also balance my money online. I wouldn't be surprised if check books are a thing of the past when my kids are adults though.
I check my bank statements online, but how do you balance them online? Serious question.
My bank allows me to input future transactions to predict my balance into the future. Some things I know exactly and are repeating (internet, phone, insurance), others I can guesstimate and review when I get a statement.0 -
leanitup123 wrote: »All I know is I wish my parents had some SOMETHING. I got lucky, considering how much I ate. I was bigger in 6th grade than I am now though. I at least wish I was told not to go back for seconds, or thirds. Or that I don't need 4 slices of pizza. I don't know. This is a tough one for me.
I work at an elementary school. Some of my kids are obese, and most of them live below the poverty line. Our principle will take away soda and candy from there. They eat a lot of chips and while I know I shouldn't be urging children to eat...sometimes cheese doodles are the only thing in their lunch boxes.
That sparks another question - do you think it is a teacher's place to recommend foods or diets/approach parents on their children's eating behavior?
Of course - everyone has a right to offer a recommendation, just as everyone has a right to refuse or accept the recommendation. How one approaches this is critical.2 -
FreyasRebirth wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Well that was just an example - a good one, I thought, since most people here do not have cheque books now.
And I wasn't talking any age in particular - I don't think it is constructive to teach calorie counting at any age just as a ' skill you will need in life'
I never said they would need it. I hope they don't. I don't regret anything I've learned whether I need that information or not.
I still use a check book, but I also balance my money online. I wouldn't be surprised if check books are a thing of the past when my kids are adults though.
I check my bank statements online, but how do you balance them online? Serious question.
My bank allows me to input future transactions to predict my balance into the future. Some things I know exactly and are repeating (internet, phone, insurance), others I can guesstimate and review when I get a statement.
Mine does this as well. I also use Quicken and conduct a monthly review to ensure we align to budget and address any issues so that our future plans will be successful.0 -
No, just teach them about nutrition and healthy choices.0
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bobshuckleberry wrote: »No, just teach them about nutrition and healthy choices.
but again what happens if they don't put what you teach above into action...then they need to be able to know about Calories and counting...1 -
leanitup123 wrote: »All I know is I wish my parents had some SOMETHING. I got lucky, considering how much I ate. I was bigger in 6th grade than I am now though. I at least wish I was told not to go back for seconds, or thirds. Or that I don't need 4 slices of pizza. I don't know. This is a tough one for me.
I work at an elementary school. Some of my kids are obese, and most of them live below the poverty line. Our principle will take away soda and candy from there. They eat a lot of chips and while I know I shouldn't be urging children to eat...sometimes cheese doodles are the only thing in their lunch boxes.
That sparks another question - do you think it is a teacher's place to recommend foods or diets/approach parents on their children's eating behavior?
Hell to the no.0 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »leanitup123 wrote: »All I know is I wish my parents had some SOMETHING. I got lucky, considering how much I ate. I was bigger in 6th grade than I am now though. I at least wish I was told not to go back for seconds, or thirds. Or that I don't need 4 slices of pizza. I don't know. This is a tough one for me.
I work at an elementary school. Some of my kids are obese, and most of them live below the poverty line. Our principle will take away soda and candy from there. They eat a lot of chips and while I know I shouldn't be urging children to eat...sometimes cheese doodles are the only thing in their lunch boxes.
That sparks another question - do you think it is a teacher's place to recommend foods or diets/approach parents on their children's eating behavior?
Hell to the no.
I am a teacher and for the most part agree with you. It definitely makes me uncomfortable when I see other teachers take away a food from a child or say that they can't eat something. At the same time, 99% our of kids are living below the poverty line, so if they did bring only candy for lunch, it's easy for us to have them hop in the lunch line and get a lunch for free or close to nothing. I'd rather a kid eat lunch AND candy rather than just candy.
I'm also comfortable makinng suggestions to children if they are eating or drinking something that will affect them for the rest of the day (I'm a lunch monitor as well). For example, if a kid has a giant soda, I'm talking a little second grader, I'll say it might make it hard to continue you learning all day because it is so much liquid and really it is two servings. I'll ask if they'd be interested in having only half and saving the rest for after school. Those kinds of things. If they say no, I do not argue.5 -
I think teachers have enough on their plates (no pun intended).1
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »I think teachers have enough on their plates (no pun intended).
That's the truth.0 -
ya'll acting like calories aren't part of nutrition. Am I missing something here? Teach them what calories are, good nutrition, moderation and as a general subject, mathematics.
Let them think for themselves, they are people after all.9 -
No. I emphasize healthy eating. Whole Foods, treats in moderation. My kids used to ask for juice all the time when they were little and I would say, no - it's high in sugar and doesn't really fuel your body. I think you're thirsty. Let's have some water. When they wanted cookies instead of fruit, again I would explain nutrient value and energy. If you start out right, you don't need to introduce "calorie counting". Honestly, I hate it. I'm obsessed and I know it. I'm doing it to lose weight, but really, it's mentally taxing and leads to guilt. I eat healthy Whole Foods and limit treats. I got here due to a slow 2 lb gain yearly for the last 15 years (had two kids in between, body chemistry changed, thyroid and now peri menopause is making it hard to lose). I'm active, run regularly and set a good example for my kids. I don't demonize foods, I just emphasize moderation and health.
Children don't needed added stress.0 -
No. Parents should teach children how to eat healthy. Fresh veggies, lean meats, complex carbs.1
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MrStabbems wrote: »ya'll acting like calories aren't part of nutrition. Am I missing something here? Teach them what calories are, good nutrition, moderation and as a general subject, mathematics.
Let them think for themselves, they are people after all.
Teaching them about calories and what a calorie is, etc is not the same thing as having your kid sit down and actively log/count calories...that's the part I find absurd and most likely would result in more ED than we already have.6 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »MrStabbems wrote: »ya'll acting like calories aren't part of nutrition. Am I missing something here? Teach them what calories are, good nutrition, moderation and as a general subject, mathematics.
Let them think for themselves, they are people after all.
Teaching them about calories and what a calorie is, etc is not the same thing as having your kid sit down and actively log/count calories...that's the part I find absurd and most likely would result in more ED than we already have.
Except I thought the discussion was whether or not you should teach them how to count calories, not whether or not you should make them count calories (outside of a teaching exercise). That's two different topics.5 -
I know my experience is different because I have a teen son who is a bit underweight (he's 125lbs, but he doesn't have much muscle tone)... so while I teach him that weight gain and loss is just Math (because he loves Math and his attention is hard to get due to his ADHD)... I hear myself more frequently repeating things about nutritional value vs "being full" like a broken record. He already knows how to eat a balanced, healthy diet... but half the time, I have to remind him that he forgot to eat altogether.
"A bowl of cereal is fine for dinner. Just not every night"
"I'm not saying you can't eat the candy you bought with your own money. I'm just saying it's still not an everyday snack just because it's yours."
"Campbell's Noodle Soup may be your favorite food, but it is NOT enough nutrients for a boy your size and age. Eat some crackers and cheese, too"
It's like a neverending battle to remind them not to live on soups, freeze pops, and chicken tenders. Even after a lifetime of teaching.
And the teacher thing... in our public schools, teachers had NO problem specifically listing what snacks were acceptable to send and immediately contacting us if they thought a granola bar had too much chocolate. I didn't mind too much, but sometimes it was really a bit much. Like if giving him a chocolate chip granola bar along with his apple got him to eat the apple... what's the problem?
Following the "for every one less healthy thing you eat, you must eat something super healthy" worked well when he was little. Now everything is a freaking negotiation.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »MrStabbems wrote: »ya'll acting like calories aren't part of nutrition. Am I missing something here? Teach them what calories are, good nutrition, moderation and as a general subject, mathematics.
Let them think for themselves, they are people after all.
Teaching them about calories and what a calorie is, etc is not the same thing as having your kid sit down and actively log/count calories...that's the part I find absurd and most likely would result in more ED than we already have.
Except I thought the discussion was whether or not you should teach them how to count calories, not whether or not you should make them count calories (outside of a teaching exercise). That's two different topics.
It seems like if they ever need to, they would figure it out pretty easy...took me about 15-20 minutes to figure this app out. Of all of the health and fitness people I know, I'm the only one who's ever counted calories and all of them are doing just fine.0 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »leanitup123 wrote: »All I know is I wish my parents had some SOMETHING. I got lucky, considering how much I ate. I was bigger in 6th grade than I am now though. I at least wish I was told not to go back for seconds, or thirds. Or that I don't need 4 slices of pizza. I don't know. This is a tough one for me.
I work at an elementary school. Some of my kids are obese, and most of them live below the poverty line. Our principle will take away soda and candy from there. They eat a lot of chips and while I know I shouldn't be urging children to eat...sometimes cheese doodles are the only thing in their lunch boxes.
That sparks another question - do you think it is a teacher's place to recommend foods or diets/approach parents on their children's eating behavior?
Hell to the no.
I am a teacher and for the most part agree with you. It definitely makes me uncomfortable when I see other teachers take away a food from a child or say that they can't eat something. At the same time, 99% our of kids are living below the poverty line, so if they did bring only candy for lunch, it's easy for us to have them hop in the lunch line and get a lunch for free or close to nothing. I'd rather a kid eat lunch AND candy rather than just candy.
I'm also comfortable makinng suggestions to children if they are eating or drinking something that will affect them for the rest of the day (I'm a lunch monitor as well). For example, if a kid has a giant soda, I'm talking a little second grader, I'll say it might make it hard to continue you learning all day because it is so much liquid and really it is two servings. I'll ask if they'd be interested in having only half and saving the rest for after school. Those kinds of things. If they say no, I do not argue.
A little off topic, but don't these kids just sort of "automatically" get free/reduced price lunches? In our school district, it's all taken care of outside the lunchroom, and the kids just punch in a code to get their lunches just like everyone else. No one would ever let a kid just bring candy (or whatever) day to day. I guess I just don't get it...
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cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »MrStabbems wrote: »ya'll acting like calories aren't part of nutrition. Am I missing something here? Teach them what calories are, good nutrition, moderation and as a general subject, mathematics.
Let them think for themselves, they are people after all.
Teaching them about calories and what a calorie is, etc is not the same thing as having your kid sit down and actively log/count calories...that's the part I find absurd and most likely would result in more ED than we already have.
Except I thought the discussion was whether or not you should teach them how to count calories, not whether or not you should make them count calories (outside of a teaching exercise). That's two different topics.
It seems like if they ever need to, they would figure it out pretty easy...took me about 15-20 minutes to figure this app out. Of all of the health and fitness people I know, I'm the only one who's ever counted calories and all of them are doing just fine.
If your crowd is seriously 'into' health and fitness, that makes sense.
Unfortunately, most of the people I know who want to lose weight aren't 'into' that kind of thing. They understand what a calorie is, understand portion sizes in the sense that there are such things though they don't follow them (or estimate them poorly), but don't understand that energy balance is the driver of weight loss.
So, when they try to lose weight, they default to 'low carb', 'eliminate white foods', 'cabbage soup 2 meals per day', etc. Then they don't lose much weight (or even gain) because they still eat a lot while following their pet diet rules. And they don't understand why.
Perhaps if any connection had been made between calories eaten, calories expended through activity and weight when they were kids, they might get it now. Believe it or not, what seems like obvious connections to some need to be pointed out to others.3 -
No, counting calories is something I do because I have to (to lose weight and because I am type 1 diabetic)partly because I grew up with such distorted concepts of food. I hope to raise my children eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies with proper portion sizes and indulgences in moderation so they eat healthy as default instead of having to learn how to eat.1
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We never taught our kids about calories specifically, although they did learn about them in health class. But at home, we always taught them how to eat a well-balanced meal, to fill their body with healthy food not junk, and to read nutrition labels for correct portion sizes.0
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My oldest two (7&5) know that food has calories, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc bc they read the labels on food and read a ton about anatomy and physiology. Bc that's how it goes with a weight lifting mom and dr dad and a bunch of tiny nerds. They know they need the energy from food to build bones, muscle, etc and they know eating more than your body needs will make you gain weight. They choose to eat their healthy food first (in their estimation, that's meat, veg, and fruit), enjoy their treat after dinner (something like 1 peep, or five gummies) but will all turn down treats offered that they don't want/aren't hungry for. I've seen these kids turn down a cookie, candy bars, a second cookie, and say a snack bag of chips was too much.
Obviously they are not my children! But they have regular access to treats (but are shown appropriate portions)--whereas treats were not as frequent but way bigger for me as a kid. Didn't know what a calorie was, either. Result was my brother and I snuck food and ate as much as we could when offered. My kids never sneak food (though they easily could) and turn treats down. Not sure what my study of two families shows, but there you go. Basically, we obsess way less about food than my parents did, model active lifestyles, and give them the opportunity to be active throughout the day and so far that's working. We will see what puberty brings.1 -
Probably not counting calories at this point, but more being mindful of the types of foods they consume - developing more of an overall awareness of health, nutrition and fitness, without being regimented.
I remember when I was a kid having discussions with grandma about the nutrition in fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and why we need them, how the body uses vitamins, minerals and fiber, the importance of drinking enough fresh water, being active, spending time outdoors in nature, etc. It's always been an interest of mine. I've never been overweight and I've always been interested in fitness. We didn't really talk about fatness/looks or counting calories or anything like that. The emphasis was on health and treating your body well.
I only started counting calories here on MFP as a middle-aged person wanting to prevent/reverse weight creep as I've aged. Just keeping an emphasis on eating healthy food doesn't cut it anymore as I get older...
Most kids probably don't need to count calories. They just need to be active and eating less junk and more nutritious food in general.
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No not at all. I think parents should plan meals and educate kids on staying around certain numbers of calories, listening their bodies and fueling them with good foods with occasional treats. Calorie counting when I was younger led me into an eating disorder and my parents didn't even push that on me. It should be their own choice0
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I have ideas about this, but they are unconventional. I really don't care if other people disagree with how we raised them in this regard.
We wanted our children to be able to tune into their hunger signals, and to that end, never forced meals on them or strictly imposed meal times.
They were exclusively breast fed until they reached for food on the table, and while we had regular meals, they were not obligated to eat them. Healthy food was available to them at all times if their hunger led them into a different meal timing. Unhealthy food was also available, but it was limited and offered in context (they were taught about "sometimes" and "always" foods).
Over time, they've fallen into regular meal timing, but they stop eating when they are full.
I don't know many other kids who willingly turn down cookies or sometimes only eat half and then say they've had enough.
It has worked. They are both at healthy weights. Our daughter is 21, and son is 15 and still growing.
They both have knowledge of energy balance and calories in food, but it's not really an important thing for them. I think it's more important not to mess up the internal hunger signals we all have if it can be avoided. But that's me and a projection of how I wish my own hunger signalling wasn't so messed by the rigidity of my own upbringing that didn't allow for extra hunger during growth spurts or decreased hunger between them. I understand how other people might have a different take on things.
It always amazes me that my 3 year old nephew will eat a mouthful of cake or cookie and then leave the rest cos he's had enough! I wish adults could remember how to do that more!!!4 -
TavistockToad wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I have ideas about this, but they are unconventional. I really don't care if other people disagree with how we raised them in this regard.
We wanted our children to be able to tune into their hunger signals, and to that end, never forced meals on them or strictly imposed meal times.
They were exclusively breast fed until they reached for food on the table, and while we had regular meals, they were not obligated to eat them. Healthy food was available to them at all times if their hunger led them into a different meal timing. Unhealthy food was also available, but it was limited and offered in context (they were taught about "sometimes" and "always" foods).
Over time, they've fallen into regular meal timing, but they stop eating when they are full.
I don't know many other kids who willingly turn down cookies or sometimes only eat half and then say they've had enough.
It has worked. They are both at healthy weights. Our daughter is 21, and son is 15 and still growing.
They both have knowledge of energy balance and calories in food, but it's not really an important thing for them. I think it's more important not to mess up the internal hunger signals we all have if it can be avoided. But that's me and a projection of how I wish my own hunger signalling wasn't so messed by the rigidity of my own upbringing that didn't allow for extra hunger during growth spurts or decreased hunger between them. I understand how other people might have a different take on things.
It always amazes me that my 3 year old nephew will eat a mouthful of cake or cookie and then leave the rest cos he's had enough! I wish adults could remember how to do that more!!!
I have always been like this and this is what my kids are learning.0 -
At my school, we teach our 6-yo's about nutrition, calories, and how to read a food label to make healthy choices. It's just knowledge. How you present it is what matters.3
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No, unless medical recommended due to health reasons.0
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No.
Teach them:
* How to prepare food from scratch
* What foods are healthier and less healthy
* the importance (and fun) of physical activity.
Start early, keep it light and age appropriate. Expose them to lots of different foods. Get the whole family joining in on physical activity.
You will set them up for life.2 -
Healthy eating - yes
Calorie counting - no
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I think the first thing that should be taught is to eat only when hungry and stop when satisfied. Next, what a true serving size looks like and last teaching nutrition and calories can depend on age.0
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