Health coach Luke Coutinho took to Facebook to share long-term damages of forcing kids to eat their meals. Resorting to physical and psychological ways for feeding children can be harmful for them in the long run.
Force feeding your child can make him/her imbibe unhealthy eating habits
HIGHLIGHTS
- A balanced diet is essential for child development
- Avoid giving packaged foods to your children
- Snacking is good but munching all day long can be unhealthy for kids
As a parent we all know the importance of healthy eating habits for your child. We need to provide our child a balanced diet which includes all the essential nutrients. It is advisable to feed children at least one serving of 4-5 fruits and vegetables every day. But all this seems sensible and doable, only if your child eats everything you put on their plate. And that is a real battle. Your child does not want to eat some or all what is present in his plate. In that case you tend to force-feed your child. As a result, your child becomes unhappy and even chooses to remain hungry. Addressing this concern is health coach Luke Coutinho, who recently went live on Facebook to share long-term damages of forcing kids to eat their meals.
Parents should encourage healthy eating habits among children
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Here's what will happen if you force feed your kids:
1. Manipulating your child to eat can have a negative impact: As a parent, it's your duty to feed the kids. But many parents take this too seriously. They resort to physical and psychological of feeding their children. Children should not be forced or manipulated to eat as it will have a negative impact on them. It may make them imbibe unhealthy eating habits.
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2. Feed your child when he is hungry: Parents should feed children when they feels hungry and not necessarily when they are eating their meals. Children are always told what to eat, at what time and how much. If you continue to force feed your child, he will develop a negative image for food and eating habits. Therefore, you should feed your children only when he wants to eat food.
Parents should feed children only when they are hungry
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Avoid snacking: Snacking is good but munching all day long can be unhealthy. Offer healthy and filling snacks such as fruits, cheese, peanut butter and crackers, vegetables and hummus or dip. Healthy snacks should be enjoyed mid-morning and the afternoon, or 2-3 hours between meals. Spacing out healthy snacking helps kids load up at meal times.
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4. Healthy choices: If you offer unhealthy food like chips, drinks, and packaged foods, it will not satisfy your child's hunger for long. They will be asking for a second snack shortly after that, instead of making it to the next meal like lunch or dinner. Do not eliminate junk or processed food from their diet completely. You can give them once a week and also make them realize that it is bad for their health
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