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Should we Reward our Children with Sugary Food?
It's not unusual for parents to offer their children "special" - and often unhealthy - foods as a reward for good behaviour or achievement. Equally, if children are bored on a long car journey, or fed up with being in the buggy, it’s tempting to use snack foods to distract them for a little longer. We’ve all noticed that if children are upset because they have hurt themselves or want something they cannot have, the offer of something sweet helps 'make them feel better.' Withholding special food treats may also be a punishment. A parent might refuse to serve pudding, for example, if her children have talked back or neglected to tidy their rooms.
a regular basis? What happens when sweets and biscuits become the major reward in a child’s life? There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that regularly using food as an emotional distraction or as a reward or punishment for children may be associated with a greater risk of emotional eating.
A recent study carried out by Aston, Loughborough and Birmingham universities found that parents who use controlling feeding practices with their Using food as children could be unintentionally a reward can teaching their children to rely on undermine food to deal with their emotions later healthy eating in life. habits
But what is the result of using food as a tool to deal with emotions like boredom or sadness or as a punishment? Does it turn children into adults who cannot cope with being bored or upset without a sweet snack? There certainly isn't any evidence to suggest that occasionally resorting to the biscuit tin will affect children in this way. But what if we do it on
More than a third of primary school children are failing to get sufficient sleep, according to research by the University of Leeds. The study has linked poor sleep with difficulties in paying attention in class, keeping up with school work, forgetfulness and absenteeism. The NHS recommendation is that children of that age should get 10 hours sleep per night but the study discovered that out of 1,100 children ages 6 to 11, 36% were getting only eight hours sleep or less on a weekday night. Just under a third of children reported that worrying about school work was keeping them awake, whilst around one in six children reported that they found it difficult to sleep because of concerns about bullying or friendship. The researchers identified that children who had access to technology in their bedroom were more likely to experience a shorter night’s sleep and recommended that parents consider removing technology from their children’s bedrooms.
familiesonline.co.uk
More information at www.nhs.uk/ change4life By Andrew Campbell
Using food as a reward can also undermine healthy eating habits. Giving sweets, crisps, or squash as a reward can lead to children overeating foods that are high in sugar, fat, and empty calories. Worse, it can interfere with the child’s natural ability to regulate their eating, encouraging them to eat when they're not hungry to reward themselves.
Lack of Sleep Damaging For Children
More info: www.leeds.ac.uk
Offering unhealthy food as a reward or treat is also confusing. Children hear that they're supposed to enjoy healthy foods and avoid foods with little nutritional value. Being told that they can indulge in foods that are bad for them as a reward or having these withheld as a punishment sends a very mixed message.
How to make a...
Sweet Potato & Lentil Curry (This tasty recipe by HC3S serves a family of 4-5)
You’ll need:
• Onions (diced) 135g • Sweet Potato 315g • Cooking Oil 9ml • Mild Madras Curry Powder 4-5g • Tomato Puree 23g • Chopped Tomatoes 225g • Red Lentils 45g • Stock 338ml How to make it:
1. Fry the onion and sweet potato mix in oil for 5-10 minutes 2. Add the curry powder and cook gently for 3 minutes stirring continuously 3. Add tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, lentils and stock 4. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes 5. Transfer to casserole tin, cover with the lid or foil and put in the oven for a further ¾ hour or until sweet potato is soft, checking periodically so it does not dry out.
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