to think that junk food as a reward is really harmful

[brt100]

Currently looking after dn and on the most part it's a delight.

However picked her up from school and she was very proudly showing me a sticker she earnt, was so excited that she forgot her coat and bag!

I congratulated her etc but when we got home she said that mummy usually gives her a kinder egg when she does well. Idont want to wear my judgey pants, but I hate the idea of harmful addictive junk food as a treat.

I've said I will make her a lolly instead, this will just be frozen fruit on a stick.

Aibu not to give junk food?

I love how people on this thread are blaming childhood associations for their obesity now . When will some people take responsibility for their own actions ?

Huge round of applause for this ^^!!

Health issues aside, people are generally overweight because they eat too much or too much of the wrong things, and don't do enough exercise.

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION! That includes diets, exercise and general woven yoghurt type crap.

I want wine as a treat and would punch dh in the face if he offered me a pear instead

:o

And what walton said.

joins eatshitderek on street corners waiting for kinder egg dealer

Nah I'm going straight fir Nutella out the jar

I used to use bribery on dd. Buttons for using her inhaler. She was two. Alternative was we continued to have to sit on top of our screaming toddler to administer medication to avoid further hospitalisation.

She's now seven and hasn't needed or asked for any "reward" for many years. It's not something that necessarily follows you it whole life.

This is a joke right?

I wouldn't use food as reward at all. food is nutrition and energy and enjoyment, but not reward.

I think it's more harmful to use food as comfort. Giving kids a candy when they're hurt is bad, because it promotes comfort eating completely talking out my ass feel free to correct me.

We got candies for being good and I have no issues around food, over eating, or being addicted to sweets. I think it might be good to establish that junk food is only for treats and special occasions, not part of a regular diet.

I am addicted to caffeine though. But I was never given coffee or tea as a treat. Everyone has their vices I guess.

Rest easy, chocolate is healthy for her.

I think YA probably BU.

I never use food as a reward, punishment or bribe. We always have a big variety of healthy food in the house as well as an appropriate amount of junk. I never separate the two into good and bad. I use buzz words like 'every day foods' and 'sometimes foods'. I never hover around my children at parties checking on their choices.

Makes no difference whatsoever. DD1 has been anorexic for 4 years, at times life threateningly so. DD2 rolls her eyes at my 'treats' and spouts sports nutrition jargon at me (she's a gymnast). DD3 hates both chocolate and vegetables with equal passion. The little ones are still fairly normal. I don't think any of it has anything to do with how I've dealt with food around them.

Don't let her near a kinder egg! Or a pure fruit lolly! Make her a brussell sprout smoothie - with an asparagus juice chaser.
That'll teach her for getting excited about earning a sticker and having the audacity to ask for something nice for all her hard work.

Hang on I never said it was banned, just I didn't feel it was right to give it as a reward.

And yes I do have issues with food, having had family members suffer illness mainly thought their diet and lifestyle so I rarely eat processed meals. Some people say having quenoir and brocolli for dinner is a food disorder...

blameitonthecaffeine I agree I don't think every action as an adult is some deep rooted problem from childhood either.

Otherwise we would have an awful lot more female sex abusers then male.

Teens and adults make choices and some are mentally ill as in anorexia and some just eat far more than they should and need to blame someone else for their lack of self control.

We have clearly millions of obese people in the world and that's because ( illnesses/conditions apart) they eat far too much and don't excersise.

As a 70s kid I can tell you we all are far far far more sweets than kids seem to do now but overweight kids and adults were relatively few.

There's a reason that Kinder Eggs are wrapped in foil and are positioned next to the lighters in the shops.

Seriously, rewards=fine (positive example of 'not everyday'
Given to compensate for hurt (physical or emotional)=problem. Life is full of hurt.

A reward or treat is anything that they really want but don't have. I unashamably used sweets/chocolate to bribe in potty training. To get DS to eat his tea I also use bribery. It could be chocolate or cake. It could also be raw carrots, melon, tv, an extra book at bedtime..... Whatever he really wants at that moment (within reason) I use to get to a compromise.

I think chocolate should be exactly that...a treat. I don't eat much chocolate but sometimes if I'm feeling a bit crap etc I'll treat myself to some chocolate. I tend to reward myself with alcohol as an adult

I think people who grow up and have issues with food do not have issues with food purely because they were given sweets as a reward. There are probably many other factors involved, genetic predisposition, general diet, education etc.

I know as children we were often given sweets as a treat and I still enjoy the odd chocolate bar/piece of cake. And sometimes I do 'reward' myself with something sweet or a cup of coffee/glass of wine.

However, I certainly don't have issues with food, have never been overweight and have a generally healthy diet. In my school we were also given sweets as a reward for good work but I somehow managed to get through university without becoming obese!

I don't think linking food with emotions for children is ever ideal tbh, but it is very common. We are told as adults that emotional eating is one of the major problems which can contribute to disordered eating, particularly obesity.

But that is not to say that every child who is rewarded with food will become obese, and that's the difference.

So op, I can totally see your point. If the Mum rewards with a kinder egg that's up to her, you can reward in your own way too. No doubt her Mum will still buy her the egg so the child won't feel like she's missing out.