Do you expect your kids to ask for food....

Kayalana99

I think it should vary on age, but I left my 3 year old to eat whatever fruit he liked he'd sit and eat the whole bowl.....

sarahsays

We've never restricted the food our children could take and they are both normal heights and weights. When they put on a little weight pre-teens, I just took them swimming more to burn it off. I think if something is restricted, the child just wants it more, although obviously you try to make sure the food in the cupboard is healthy. Also, I would be afraid that height would be restricted inadvertently if diet was restricted - even if this was for the right reasons.

As the children got older, more chocolate and crisps crept into the house, usually for lunches, but there were many instances where lunch food had to be replaced as it had been eaten in advance. Also, when they were older, food earmarked for dinners was used by them but we just took something else out of the freezer, we also made sure to have plenty of fruit in the house. We have a very relaxed attitude to food usage in the home, although this does mean that our food budget is fairly high.
My husband and I eat when we want to - we'd be very annoyed if someone told us what and when to eat, and, though I would advise my children on healthy options, I let them make their own choices. Again, I often made different meals for different people and, especially when studying, they would have put in requests for chocolate.
The only time my children would have actually asked me for food was when they wanted me to go and make it or fetch it!

MERFE

Kayalana99 wrote: »

I think it should vary on age, but I left my 3 year old to eat whatever fruit he liked he'd sit and eat the whole bowl.....

All 3 of mine would do this and they would do it quickly before anyone else ate it. My youngest 6 will ask 'what can I have to eat' Half way through eating a sandwich. He'll be given options for when he has finished or told to finish and see if he is still hungry. My kids are not starving by any means but I do need to make sure there is enough to last packed lunches throughout the week so no free for all here.

EconomicsGirl

Neither of mine have to ask for food and the upside of that is they can make sandwiches etc by themselves. Both normal height and weight.

I think in your house you can have what rules you like.

sulkisu

:

sarahsays wrote: »

As the children got older, more chocolate and crisps crept into the house, usually for lunches, but there were many instances where lunch food had to be replaced as it had been eaten in advance. Also, when they were older, food earmarked for dinners was used by them but we just took something else out of the freezer, we also made sure to have plenty of fruit in the house. We have a very relaxed attitude to food usage in the home, although this does mean that our food budget is fairly high.
My husband and I eat when we want to - we'd be very annoyed if someone told us what and when to eat, and, though I would advise my children on healthy options, I let them make their own choices. Again, I often made different meals for different people and, especially when studying, they would have put in requests for chocolate.

I try to be relaxed about food as well, but not to this extent - sorry. Obviously it works for you and that's fine , and my kids are much younger than yours; however even when they are older, there is absolutely no way would I be okay with an 'eat whatever you can find in the house, even if it's earmarked for dinner or lunch boxes and we'll just buy more' or making several different meals for the family, not unless they had special dietary needs. That would drive me nuts.

onlyroz

For a six year old, yes.

Mine are allowed to get their own breakfast, and my son can get an after school snack if he wants, but on the whole I don't want them raiding the cupboards without asking - and certainly not for junk food.

Spendless

borkid wrote: »

This chap also helped himself beer out of the fridge!

If I am given a box of chocs I don't see why I should have to hide them away. Most times I have chocs by the sofa to eat when I feel like it, I can just eat one and leave the rest as well. The coversation in the family goes " were you keeping them for something" " no just help yourself ".

Is he from a different country/culture or brought up by someone who is?

We have relatives in Canada, though they were born and lived in England until their late teens/early 20s. Once when we were visiting they told us that in Canada that it would be considered bad manners to expect the host to wait on the guests and get them things to eat/drink. The host should be able to take it easy and the guests help themselves.

System

I always asked for food, healthy snacks like fruit was help yourself but if i wanted crisps or anything that was a "treat" i had to ask for it. Never did me any harm.

ska_lover

This question brings anxieties for me as I remember this like yesterday in my own childhood. Food and even drink was used as control in our house and it gave life time issues to me and my siblings


My own little ones had a far more relaxed allowance, snacks, yogurt, bread, sandwiches, cereal, fruit, all up for the taking. The only time I may have had something to say was if they had taken the evening meal, but kids don't do that do they, they want a quick fix

Torry_Quine

I don't have children. When I was a child though it was very different. There wasn't extra food to just eat when anyone wanted, far less children.