[Editor's Note: Our house is full of so many food struggles that I wonder if meal time will ever be truly enjoyable. I came across this post at My Kids Really Eat This and wondered if she has a point. Sometimes I take the advice of "the experts" too much to heart. Do you use dessert to get your kids to eat the "good" foods -- and to teach them about what's best for them? -Jenna]
Yes, I Use Dessert to Get My Kids to Eat Good Food:
So many advice columns, books, blogs, etc that pertain to child nutrition/feeding tell parents not to have “bad/good” words about food and tellparents not to threaten kids with not getting dessert if they don’t eat their good food. Sorry, but, I don’t agree with this. I want my kids to learn what “good” food is and what is junk. And I don’t always give dessert. I don’t think it’s a given every day/meal. And I do sometimes use dessert to get my kids to eat well; especially my youngest two who are such sweet-tooths and if it’s something that I know they should eat/will like and they’re just not touching it.
I think sometimes we need to “use” whatever we can to overcome the natural desire in most kids for sweeter foods.
Photo Credit: makelessnoise.