Your intentions may be good, but your way of getting your kids to eat better may be bad for them.
You may be giving your children misleading and potentially damaging messages about food and nutrition, clinical psychologist Rosalind Charney wrote in an article in the current issue of Redbook, and she added:"For example, urging a child to eat string beans `because they're good for you,' even though he dislikes them, may lead him to conclude that all nutritious foods taste bad," she wrote.
"Telling a weight-conscious girl that `all that ice cream is going straight to your thighs' will only damage her self-image and make her feel guilty about eating certain foods, which later could lead to excessive dieting or other eating disorders."
Charney listed the worst things parents can say about food:
- "You have to eat, even if you're not hungry." Even finicky eaters will eat when they are hungry. Never force a child to eat against his will. Most parents find that once they stop telling their children when, what and how much to eat, kids begin looking forward to mealtime as a pleasant experience.
- "No snacking between meals." A parent should not forbid a child to eat what he wants to eat when he is hungry. Left to their own devices, most children over time will naturally consume a well-balanced diet. There is nothing wrong, of course, with enforcing a rule of "no snacks right before dinner."
Parents can reinforce a child's healthy eating by making sure all the food in the house is nutritious, even snacks.
- "If you're good, you'll get a treat." Children should see food for what it is - good-tasting fuel for the body, not a form of love or approval. If a child associates food with love, later in life when she's feeling sad or lonely she may turn to food as a source of comfort. This can lead to overeating.
- "It's important to be thin." Americans are victims of a cruel paradox. We are continually being encouraged to eat, while also being reminded of how important it is to be thin. Children, especially adolescent girls, can be influenced by these messages.
In its extreme form, a young girl's fear of getting fat can lead to anorexia nervosa or bulimia.