She’s A Registered Dietitian Talking About The Things We Say That Are Unintentionally Harmful To Kids And Their Eating Habits
Whether you realize it or not, some common phrases we say to kids can have a negative impact on their relationship with food and eating.
What you say might not sound so bad or mean in the moment, but if it’s said enough, it can lead to kids potentially falling into the world of dieting or eating problems.
Kacie Barns (@mamaknowsnutrition) is a registered dietitian specializing in children’s diets and gave all the scoop on things we say that are unintentionally harmful to kids and their eating habits.
Kacie lists four unintentionally harmful phrases in her TikTok video that can potentially lead to kids having body image issues, dieting, and eating disorder issues.
“If you’ve said any of these things before, please do not feel like I’m calling you out or feel bad for it,” says Kacie in the intro of her video.
“I know a lot of people genuinely do not know, and I just want to bring attention to it.”
The first saying Kacie points out is when people say to kids, “That is so unhealthy.”
Kacie explains that we want to keep this phrase to a minimum because kids can internalize it and associate being unhealthy with being bad. For instance, when they hear the word ‘unhealthy,’ they associate it with being bad, which, over time, can lead them to believe that they’re bad.
The second thing we should avoid is commenting on a kid’s appetite by saying, “Wow, you have a big appetite,” or forcing them to “clean their plate” and eat more.
BurntRedHen – Stock.Adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual child
“The reason we’re avoiding those is because we want them to listen to their internal cues about their hunger and their fullness and not feel like there’s any outside pressure to eat more or eat less,” explains Kacie.
Next, try not to make a fuss when a kid gets themself or asks for more food throughout the day by saying, “You’re hungry again?”
Kacie says that getting hungry is a normal biological signal in human beings, and it’s okay for kids to notice that.
Finally, Kacie points out that as adults and parents, we should avoid making any comments about a child’s changing weight, even if they seem positive, like, “You look like you lost some weight; that’s great!”
“This goes for adults, too,” says Kacie.
“It’s much more effective and helpful for their well-being to just focus on healthy habits and not their size. This stuff does leave a mark, and it’s just better left unsaid.”
Were there any phrases on this list that surprised you?
@mamaknowsnutrition Have these things ever been said to you as a child? Or have people said them to your kid? #greenscreen #registereddietitian #toddlermom #preschoolmom #girlmom #millenialparents #millenialparenting #nondiet #momlife #motherhood #raisingkids
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