Should a parent force their child to eat certain foods?

The findings, published in the journal Appetite, suggest that forcing children to eat food they don’t enjoy could spark tension at mealtimes and damage the parent-child relationship. What’s more, making children eat unwanted foods didn’t even affect their weight and whether they developed picking eating habits.

Is it OK to withhold dessert as punishment?

Using food as a reward or as a punishment, however, can undermine the healthy eating habits that you’re trying to teach your children. Giving sweets, chips, or soda as a reward often leads to children overeating foods that are high in sugar, fat, and empty calories.

What are the effects of food withholding on children?

The effects of this kind of food withholding come on gradually but are very real. If a child misses some food on one day– as a punishment or because of a tummy-ache– he or she generally makes up for it the next day. There’s no real need for food, or food intake, to be “balanced” over a 24-hour period, and there’s no long-term effect if it isn’t.

Why shouldn’t parents use food as reward or punishment?

Why Parents Shouldn’t Use Food as Reward or Punishment It’s common for parents to offer a “special”—and often unhealthy—food as a reward for good behavior or a job well done. Using food as a reward or as a punishment, however, can undermine the healthy eating habits that you’re trying to teach your children.

Why do parents give unhealthy treats to kids?

It’s common for parents to offer a “special”—and often unhealthy—food as a reward for good behavior or a job well done. They may also withhold those special treats as a means of punishment. A parent might refuse to serve dessert, for example, if her children have talked back or haven’t cleaned their rooms.

What happens if a child misses some food on one day?

If a child misses some food on one day– as a punishment or because of a tummy-ache– he or she generally makes up for it the next day. There’s no real need for food, or food intake, to be “balanced” over a 24-hour period, and there’s no long-term effect if it isn’t.