We all know what it feels like to “drown our sorrows” in a tub of ice cream or a few too many margaritas. In a society blessed with an abundance of food, many of us eat too much. Not only can this lead to overweight, but emotional eating is also common – using food to cope with feelings.
If kids see adults rewarding themselves with food, or dealing with negative situations by eating, they can easily pick up this habit – and they’re better off without it!
Here are four ways you may be unintentionally teaching your kids emotional eating:
- “Rewarding” good behavior with food – “You did so well on your report card, you deserve an ice cream!”
- Treats when something bad happens – “I know it hurts when you fall down. Do you want a lollipop to make it better?”
- Bribing – “If you finish soccer practice, we can go to McDonald’s for dinner.”
- By example – “Mommy’s going to have a glass of wine and a bag of chips to celebrate working out today!”
What you can do about it
Use non-food rewards
If you want to reward an achievement, young kids will be excited about stickers, play-doh, or something simple like a walk to splash in puddles. You can “reward” older kids with a family outing to the beach or zoo, picking out a new toy, or letting them pick the movie for family movie night.
Special time with a loved one (Grandpa, Auntie, etc.)
Kids are usually thrilled at the thought of some alone time with a special loved one. A simple trip to the park or the movies with a beloved grown-up can be motivating for a child.
Talk about what happened
For older children who got a bad grade or had a fight with a friend, this is a great opportunity to teach your child how to become a great communicator. Instead of distracting them with food, encourage them to talk about what happened and how it made them feel.
Even though emotional eating may feel like a natural reaction sometimes, our kids will be better off (both physically and psychologically) if we teach them to eat to fuel their bodies, not as a way to deal with bad feelings.
What other ways can you avoid teaching emotional eating to your kids? Share your experience in the comments!