Many parents ask us how we get our children to eat certain foods.
One of the biggest frustrations that parents encounter is a child who is begging for sweets. The people who cleverly design those candy and pop machines at the eye level of children know exactly what they are doing. They know that children have a way of persuading even the most focused consumer to buy unplanned merchandise.
Consider the following scenario:
You are in the grocery store at 3:30 pm with 4 children. The oldest child whispers something to the youngest. At the check out counter, the "littlest angel" decides to open a package of candy as you load the groceries onto counter. What do you do?
Marcy: I'll handle this one since I'm the one who is usually with our "little angels". I would hand the candy to the cashier and tell her that my child opened it. If needed, I would even pay for the candy. Most of the time, they just say,"ok." At this point, my children would be standing there in shock and disbelief. And the youngest child is thinking about crying. If I do pay for the candy, I promptly throw it in the garbage before I leave the store.
I can already hear you saying, "Throw it out?!?"
I would respond, "Yes, throw it out!"
I would throw it out to teach my children that I will not be manipulated into buying something that I did not plan to purchase. I also throw it out because I realize that the sugar will make me feel sluggish and tired. Sugar will also rot our teeth and keep me from reaching my goal to lose a few pounds.
Take this from a parent whose youngest child has the biggest mouth this side of the Mississippi. He will stop crying if you are consistent.
The key is ...be consistent!
A consistent parent will be rewarded with children who know what to expect. A consistent parent will also develop a coping strategy that will help when fatigue has set in and hunger approaches.
If by chance, your child decides to throw a temper tantrum when you say no to his requests for sweets, then it would be wise to re-educate your child. By giving in to tantrums, you teach him that he will get his way if he acts up.
News flash: Even if a child is sleepy, he can learn to obey and respect the parent.
I hope that I have not belabored the point. The choices you make as a parent regarding what your child eats will follow him for the rest of his life. These choices can predispose your child to disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol...