Pop-tarts as her birthday gift. 11 year old's request.

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  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,283 Member
    Nope, this seems about right. Definitely a good thing that she sees them as a treat. She probably said it because she can't access them easily so a birthday is a good excuse to get them!

    Food should never be called a 'treat'. If it becomes a reward or a treat, you're setting them up to use food in the wrong way later on, e.g. as a comfort or a 'reward' after a hard day, argument or any stressful/emotive situation.

    A treat is not the same as a reward. A treat is a special thing we might have some times on a special occasion. A reward is like payment for doing something right.

    I agree food as rewards should be avoided but...saying you should never call a food a treat? If no foods are "special"...then are all foods ok all the time? Or do you subscribe to the "I only ever eat healthy foods and never indulge in anything yummy if it's not good for me" philosophy? Is cake allowed on birthdays? Or all the time? Or never? If its only allowed on birthdays...is that not a treat?

    No, it's not a 'treat', it's just birthday cake. My issue is attaching words to foods that invoke emotions which, in my opinion, gives food more importance - or more power - than it should have. Food, at the end of the day, is there to nourish us and keep us alive. Yes, some foods taste better than others and some definitely shouldn't be eaten everyday because they're bad for us.... and we call these 'treats'?

    How is giving you or your child something that is bad for their health a 'treat'? I don't 'treat' my son by giving him things that will rot his teeth or damage his health. I bring him to the playground, cinema, do arts & crafts with him.... You get the picture! Don't get me wrong, he eats 'junk' and I've never banned any food because that causes more problems again, but it's 'only' chocolate/candy/pizza or whatever. It's just food. As a result, he views it that way and can take or leave it.

    Edited to say sorry if I'm coming across as being a bit pedantic, it's just an issue that's very close to my heart.

    This is just so silly.

    Of course things like birthday cakes or lollies are treats for special occasions.

    A treat is something special that you have occasionally - it can be a trip to the movies or a food item.

    Seeing special foods as treats is not giving them power, it's just saying they are occasional items for special occasions, no more, no less.

    OP I would give her a box of pop tarts as part of her birthday present - if it is something she she really wants, a small treat of them will make her day - it's a one-off, not a total diet plan.

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