109 of his meal, what do you say first? a) Are you sure you’re done? I don’t want you asking for a snack before bed. b) Are you full? c) Okay! You know what to do with your plate. 8. How often do you let your child eat any meal or snack in front of the TV? a) Every day or almost every day b) A couple of times a week c) Once a week or less 9. How often do you find yourself saying something like, “Behave and you can have dessert!” or “You didn’t listen, so there won’t be dessert.” a) Frequently b) Once in a while c) Never 10. Has your child ever related an emotion to a request for food, such as “I’m so sad Mommy. Can I have a cookie?” a) Yes, once in a while b) Yes, it happens pretty often c) Not yet anyway
Scoreboard Add up the points for each of your answers. 1. a) 4, b) 1, c) 1
2. a) 1, b) 0, c) 4 3. a) 4, b) 2, c) 1 4. a) 2, b) 1, c) 4 5. a) 2, b) 4, c) 0 6. a) 3, b) 3, c) 0 7. a) 1, b) 4, c) 2 8. a) 0, b) 1, c) 3 9. a) 0, b) 1, c) 3 10. a) 1, b) 0, c) 6
What your score means 30-40 points- You’re teaching you child to eat only when she’s hungry. 20-29 points- You’re trying hard to discourage your child from eating for emotional reasons, but sometimes you fall short. Fewer than 20 points- You’re on the path to raising an emotional eater. In order to prevent raising an emotional eater, ask yourself questions like: does he eat at times other than regular mealtimes and snacks? Is he munching at every opportunity? What factors might be contributing to his overeating that call for you to intervene? Additionally, avoid rewarding children with food and punishing them with missing out on food. If your child is already on the emo-
tional eating path, don’t worry. Just as emotional eating is a learned behavior, it can be unlearned, too. Encourage him/ her to eat healthy snacks and don’t bring junk into your house. The next time you see your child reaching for comfort food, try to figure out what emotions they are feeling and create a coping mechanism that does not involve food. As a parent, be sure to model good eating habits for your child. When your child does make changes under these circumstances, parental praise and positive reinforcement goes a long way. However, make sure the reward is not food! Use verbal praise and give other types of rewards. As hard as it may be, keep in mind that a healthy child makes a happy mother. Happy Mother’s Day! Every day!
MAY 5, 2022 | The Jewish Home
b) Once or twice c) Three or more times 4. Suppose your child’s sports team went out for a sugary treat after every victory or defeat. Would you allow your child to go? a) Yes, but I’d make sure the portion was small. b) Yes, and I wouldn’t worry about the portion. c) No, I’d suggest an alternative or decline most of the time. 5. Consider how you help your child handle her emotions. When she brings up something that went wrong with a friendship at school, which of the following are you most inclined to do? a) Empathize b) Empathize and offer a coping strategy/solution c) Suggest she’s overreacting 6. Your general approach to soothe a crying child who hurt himself playing consists of: a) Hugs and kisses b) Hugs, kisses, and a toy or game c) Hugs, kisses, and a sugary drink or treat 7. When your child asks to get up from the dinner table after eating most
Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a private nutritionist. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com or at 917-623-6237.
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