Why does my child keep hiding food?

Why does my child keep hiding food?

If your child is feeling deprived of sweets or worried about how you might react to her eating these types of foods, she may feel driven to eat these foods in secret or stockpile these foods to feel safer about eating them. Food hoarding and eating in secret are survival mechanisms, not bad behavior.

Why do teens hoard food?

Children who have experienced neglect often turn to food hoarding as a means of survival. These survival behaviours do not stop when the child enters a secure, nurturing environment. Hoarding gives some children who have had these experiences a sense of comfort, security or control.

How do I talk to my daughter about eating too much?

Avoid shame and blame for overweight or overeating whenever you can. Focus on behaviors and choices that may make your child feel great. Use positive messaging about who they are as people and not about what they eat or what their body looks like.

How do you slow down fast eating kids?

Remind your child to ‘listen to their tummy’ and ‘slow down’ Instead of getting your kids to “eat three more bites,” or telling them “after that serving, you’re done,” ask them to “listen to their tummy” to help them know when they should stop eating.

How do you fix food hoarding?

Ensuring familiar foods are available while they settle and giving familiar foods alongside less familiar ones in order to encourage them to try them and establish healthy eating habits. Never forcing a child to eat food or using it as a punishment. Try and make meal times a happy and relaxed experience.

How do you treat food hoarding?

Include foods that they want to eat along with the foods your family enjoys. One caring adult eating with a child counts as a family meal. Serve meals and sit-down snacks more frequently at first or if a child is healing from food preoccupation. Offer reassurance: “There will always be enough food.”

How can I help my teenage daughter gain weight?

Look at protein, calcium, iron, dietary fat, and other nutrition information when making choices. Be sure to look at portion information as well. Generally, foods that supply the highest amount of calories and nutrients for the smallest portion size will help your teen gain weight the most.

When should you consult a doctor about your teen’s weight gain?

Consult a doctor about your teen’s weight gain if: The child has extreme weight gain beyond 16 years of age and even towards the end of the teen years (2) (4). You sense the teen is gaining weight due to binge eating, which itself may have been caused by constant peer pressure, body image issues, or some other matter that is stressing them out.

What can I do if I’m overweight as a teenager?

Some teens who are overweight are teased or bullied. Teasing and bullying can make you feel sad or embarrassed. Fear of being judged or rejected might make you shy away from people. You may stop doing things you enjoy. But the best thing to do is to take your mind — and other people’s — off your weight and back onto you as a person.

Why is my teen son gaining weight?

You sense the teen is gaining weight due to binge eating, which itself may have been caused by constant peer pressure, body image issues, or some other matter that is stressing them out. The weight gain seems to have begun after the kid was prescribed medicine.