By now, we’re well-aware of how detrimental helicopter parenting can be to a kid’s development and sense of self. In response, many well-intentioned parents have tried to shift away from their role as “Overlord” to a style that’s more relaxed.
However, a recent study argues that swinging too far to the other end of the spectrum, towards a more hands-off approach, could be a REALLY bad thing for your kids…and specifically, for their weight.
According to Medical Xpress, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Michigan and Temple University’s College of Public Health conducted an 18-month study to examine the effects of different parenting styles on young children’s snacking habits.
The research found that kids whose parents took a hands-off approach to their kids’ eating habits, what the study refers to as “uninvolved feeders,” were more likely to go bananas with their snacking than those children whose parents provided more oversight and guidance as to the quality — and quantity — of the snacks.
Makes sense, right? If a child is already predisposed to have a greater appetite, she’s going to want to snack more. But, if her parents are “uninvolved feeders,” the child is far more likely to go after the foods any normal kid would reach for first: ie. snacks loaded with fat and sugar. And this sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to extremely dangerous results.
But there’s a very clear message of encouragement here: in order to reverse this trend, all we need to do is change our own roles in our kids’ eating habits! And that can be with simple changes, like making sure that there are only healthy snacks in the house.
I want to know: What’s your approach to snacktime with your kids? How do you get them to eat healthily? If you’re struggling with it, are there any resources that have been particularly helpful for you?
