How do you teach/show your children how to relate to food re

RahRahRiotSC

True story: I was walking past this mom and her daughter at the grocery store tonight. The daughter was asking her mom if she could get a slice of vanilla cake and the mom exclaims, "Do you know how disgusting that is for your body?" and made her daughter put it back. At first I felt bad for being a pig since I was carrying a pack of donuts and a bag of chocolates (for Easter baskets). But then I was a bit irritated because the girl did not have a weight problem and I don't think cake is "disgusting". A treat, yes... just don't make it a regular thing. It just didn't seem like the mom was setting her daughter up to have a healthy relationship with food. This also made me think about how I was raised and what I was taught about food and nutrition (which was very little). MFP is actually helping me realize where I was going wrong and learn more about nutrition. What are your thoughts on what I saw in the grocery store?

sllm1

I teach my daughter to eat when she's hungry and stop when she's not. All things in moderation...when we eat cake, we discuss that it has a lot of sugar and that we don't have to finish it. Maybe half of a piece would be enough. Throw the rest away or save it for tomorrow. I think if you take away all treats and associate guilt with food, you are looking at problems down the road.

Spanaval

I just don't judge how other people raise their kids (abuse is not acceptable, of course). Maybe the girl has a health problem, like juvenile diabetes. Maybe she tends towards unhealthy weight without stricter eating. Who knows?

Mission2Me

I dont want to set my son up for failure. I try to educate him in a way that wont make him feel bad later on about having a piece of cake. I think I would have tried to explain at least a bit more about it. I think that the mother could have been a lot worse. I have listened to people tell their very young children that they are fat. embarrassing them in front of a bunch of people. I would hope that the woman is at least at some point explaining to her child when, where, why and how to eat. That goes a lot further than just saying "Do you know how disgusting that is for your body?" I dont think there is any excuse for people who are on the same journey we are though. I know from personal experience sometimes it takes a ton of education just to keep my body on the right track. and more than anything LISTENING to your body about everything! and I do mean everything! it helped me so much.

AnarchoGen

Mine would ask for things like that, but not so much now. I wouldn't say it to them the way the mother did, but I'd explain to them the ingredients; mainly sugars, additives, preservatives artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and how it will affect their bodies. They rarely ask for processed foods now, and I tell them it's okay once in awhile to eat a little of it, but it's something they shouldn't eat every day.

ETA: we grow our own foods, so when they help me harvest the food, make a salad or cook something healthy, they tend to enjoy those more.

coconutbuNZ

I wouldn't say that to my daughter or son. I have always tried to feed my kids with healthy well balanced meals and the occasional treat. They learn by example more than anything else.

elri1908

I come from a fat family and wasn't taught anything about healthy eating by either of my parents. When my daughter was little, I controlled her food strictly - I controlled her salt intake, packed healthy lunches, bought her healthy snacks (she was allowed to eat treats) etc. When she started school I realized that it would be more difficult to control what she eats, so I made another rule. Every year she had to take part in 1 sport, and 1 cultural activity. Coming back from school on the first day of the new year she had to report on her choices for the year. That went very well... she went from swimming twice a week to competitive lifesaving, provincial swimmer (training 5 hours a day), and playing in the hockey and waterpolo teams at school. She also did the odd biathlon and biathle (surf swimming and running) event and several open water long distance swimming events. It's amazing how much she ate during these active times...... (just goes to show....)

On the cultural side she first sang in the choir, then learnt to play recorder, then piano, and saxophone and went on the play in the school band in both primary and high school. She also did ballroom dancing.

I think it worked - while my daughter doesn't take part in competitive sport any more - she stays fit and healthy and when the pounds pack on (she is prone to gaining weight easily), she starts controlling what she eats and she exercises!

With hindsight, I should have followed all my own good advice..... trying now though!