You may be familiar with the idea of forcing children to eat. Many people have memories of staying at their dinner table until they finished their food or even being punished for not cleaning their plates.
This has been a common practice for years. Parents often use this strategy to make sure their children are eating enough. However, doctors and parents have questioned if this is the best way to approach mealtimes.
Keep reading to learn more about forcing your child to eat and why this practice can be harmful. You’ll also get tips about alternative ways to encourage your child to eat.
Forcing your Child to Eat
Forcing a child to eat can take many forms. This may make a child finish their plate before they are allowed to leave the table or engage in other activities.
Some parents may also try to bribe or persuade their children to eat more by getting them to finish all the food on their plates. Parents may also make it a rule for their children to clean their plates and establish consequences if they don’t.
Why is this Harmful?
While parents are usually trying to ensure their children get the nutrition they need, forcing children to eat can be harmful. A child isn’t usually trying to be disrespectful or rebellious if they don’t clear their plate.
Like anyone else, children should listen to their bodies and stop eating when they’re full. Parents must recognize and respect this.
Forcing children to eat can lead to long-term consequences. People may like food less after being forced to eat as a child. People may also overeat because they felt pressure to eat more than they needed growing up.
One study by the University of Michigan researchers found that forcing kids to eat can also cause tension in parent-child relationships. This may be because kids didn’t feel heard by their parents and started to resent them for forcing them to eat.
Other Ways to Approach Eating
There are alternative ways to approach mealtimes rather than forcing children to eat. It’s essential to listen to your children and give them the space to listen to their bodies. Here are some healthy ways to approach eating.
Focus on Your Children
Getting caught up in your feelings when approaching mealtimes can be easy. You may feel worried about your children’s eating habits if it seems like they are eating too little. Thus, you may resort to forcing them to eat so you feel less worried.
However, it’s important to remember that children get full, just like adults. There also may be other factors. Maybe they’re tired or distracted by other things.
They may have had a recent snack and don’t need to eat again. If they’re not in the mood to eat at mealtime, put their food in the fridge so they can return to it when they’re ready.
Reevaluate Portion Sizes
Part of the reason children aren’t clearing their plates may be because the portion sizes are too big. If a child consistently isn’t finishing their food, you may want to try putting less food on their plate. If portions are too big, forcing children to finish their food could cause overeating.
Trust their Bodies
It’s important to trust your children’s bodies. They know when they’re full, and it’s better to reinforce that they know what is best for their bodies.
As a parent, you should trust that your children are full if they say they aren’t hungry. This is a good way for children to practice listening to their bodies so they can have the best well-being in the future.
Consult Your Doctor if You’re Concerned About Your Child’s Health
If your child isn’t clearing their plate, it is probably not impacting their nutrition. However, consult your doctor if you are genuinely concerned that your child’s lack of eating is related to a more serious health problem.
They will be able to tell you if they think your child’s lack of eating is a problem. They also may be able to make other healthy suggestions for approaching your child’s eating habits.
Don’t Force Your Child to Eat
The bottom line is forcing your child to eat is unhealthy. It can cause consequences later in life for a person’s relationship with food and the relationship between a parent and child. It’s important to remember to focus on your child and trust their bodies when they say that they are full.
Check out more parenting tips and ideas for family fun on our Support for Stepdads blog
