The Dangers Of Rewarding Your Child With Food
If you are a parent you want the best for your kids. You want them to grow up happy. You want them to know that they are loved so very much. You only want the best for them.
"Raising children uses every bit of your being - your heart, your time, your patience, your foresight, your intuition to protect them, and you have to use all of this while trying to figure out how to discipline them." Nicole Ari Parker
I totally get it. I have four precious babies of my own, and every day I have that inner voice saying "Did I do enough? Do they know how much I love them? Was today the best day I could make for them?"
Raising children is the biggest blessing there is (in my opinion). They are a gift that truly lasts a lifetime. Raising children can also be the most stressful thing we ever do. Why? Simple - you must keep another human being alive and tend to every single one of their needs while simultaneously teaching them how to live and be independent.
From birth we reward our kids when they do something new/exciting/good. When a baby coos we melt and smile at them. When they begin to roll over, crawl, or walk we clap and show everyone around. As our kids get older we continue to reward them.
Unfortunately, our society has turned to food as a reward.
This isn't always bad, but when you are constantly rewarding a child with M&M's, cookies, lollipops, etc. it becomes detrimental to them.
Rewarding a child with food teaches them to use food as a reward instead of nourishment. Rewarding them with junk creates those nasty sugar cravings and addictions that are so hard to break as adults.
Why do we do this to our kids?
I know, we don't even think about it in the moment. I am definitely guilty of giving my kids fruit snacks or some other treat. I'm not saying kids should NEVER have treats, but we have got to be more conscious of what we feed our kids and the habits we are teaching them to create. We also must be better examples ourselves.
Instead of rewarding your child with food, use alternatives like stickers, stamps, or time with you. I guarantee little kids will be thrilled to get some special time with mommy or daddy to play their favorite game, read a book or cuddle.
Start giving your kids healthy foods at a young age. Teach them that food is meant to nourish their bodies and help them grow big and strong. Teach them how to eat healthy. Give them the tools they need to create healthy habits that will last a lifetime. I gave my 9 month old some green beans and she devoured them! Last night she gobbled up chicken. I am ecstatic that she is learning to eat healthy foods at such a young age!
I am not perfect by any means, but I try my best. One thing I am proud of is the fact that my kids have never had soda. I used to be a serial soda drinker, so I consider this quite an achievement. We don't buy soda. When my kids got to try some sparkling apple cider on New Year's Eve they did not like it because of the carbonation.
Instead of serving mac & cheese or pb&j all the time, plan ahead and make some healthy meals. I have really been working hard on this lately. I've tried some new recipes and my kids have really liked it! Now they are getting protein and veggies instead of processed junk. Check out my recipe page if you need some inspiration. The crockpot salsa chicken has become a fast favorite in our house!
Changing your habits is hard. It will take time. However, if you are really committed to making healthier choices, your kids will not be in this same position as adults. They will already have healthy habits and they will be living a healthier lifestyle.
