When Sara Gomez, nurse and mother, read the strange menu of a cafeteria, she put her hands to her head. It could read two types of children's menus: the one aimed at "children who behave well", and that of "children who misbehave".
Though it's not a real menu, but probably a strategy to attract consumers and attract attention, Sara wanted to report on her Twitter account what she described as a "nonsense", because food should never be used as a reward or punishment.
In the menu, which the user says she saw published in a cafeteria, we can see two clearly differentiated options:
The one of the children who behave well and therefore they can choose between eating soup or croquettes first, and meatballs or chicken nuggets of second (with the corresponding sugary dessert).
And the option of children who misbehave and they should eat chard and fish, in addition to helping to wash the dishes in the kitchen.
A strategy that most users have not liked
As we said at the beginning, it's not a real menu (Although it might well be judging by the mentality that still exists today around this issue), but in a striking way to attract customers and, perhaps also to ask parents to take responsibility for their children during the meal.
But despite the fact that there are users who find the publication fun, or even useful to get children to "behave" at the table, In our opinion this strategy is unfortunate.
And if we want our children to eat in a varied, healthy way, and in a positive and respectful environment, it is important not to fall or promote this type of blackmail.Aware of the seriousness of rewarding or punishing children with food, and the terrible association of concepts (healthy food = punishment), hundreds of users on Twitter responded to this mother's post:
The problem is that if you choose the second one, the child is left with "he has misbehaved and receives a punishment"
- José Ferrandis (@JoseFerranL) March 10, 2019
All terribly wrong # Nutrition
Food cannot be a reward or a punishment. Then come eating disorders
- A. Warrior (@ A_Warrior18) March 10, 2019
You have to behave badly to eat well 😓
- Miguel (@ollitsac_leugim) March 10, 2019
Skinny favor for children's nutritional education.
- Ismael Said Criado (@ismaelsaid) March 10, 2019
Cc @JulioBasulto_DN @luciapediatra @boticariagarcia
Menu for whoever made that menu.
- RunnerChef (@albervarez) March 10, 2019
First: study.
Second: read and let yourself be advised by people specialized in teaching.
Dessert: use your brain before carrying out ideas without feet or head.
Unfortunately eating trash is a reward. And chard is a punishment today obesity is a serious public health problem. the food industry wins
- Mariana G (@ marugala1) March 11, 2019
Also the well-known nutritionist, Julio Basulto, or the clinical psychologist, Álvaro Pallamares, they have echoed photography on their social networks, and the unfortunate message that it conveys to children.
Why food should not be used as a reward or punishment
The main basis of education is empathy and respect, and of course this also translates at the time of the meal. Therefore, the idea of punishing a child if he does not eat everything or does not behave as we believe, is a lack of respect for him.
In Babies and more My son does not eat: what to do and what not to do if he has no appetiteNumerous studies have determined that forcing children (through prizes / punishments, blackmail, threats ...) to eat is counterproductive, because not only It doesn't help them eat more food and all kinds of food, but could cause the opposite effect, and cause greater rejection.
For all this, and although it is not a real menu, we consider it inappropriate for an establishment to use food as a way to punish or reward a child. First, because punishment itself is not a correct way to educate (we have already seen on numerous occasions that it does not work and can be harmful), but because healthy food (in this case, chard and fish) should never be used as a sanction.
Using certain foods as a reward (junk food, goodies, chocolate, ice cream ...) and others as punishment (vegetables, fish ...) we will be giving the child a wrong and counterproductive message, because it will unconsciously associate the intake of certain foods with something sacrificed, ugly and unpleasant, while rewarding an inadequate diet.
But also ... what is that of "behaving well or badly"?
But in addition to how unfortunate it is to use healthy food as a punishment, the campaign's way of labeling children in "children who behave well" and "children who misbehave". And before this we ask ourselves: what is to behave well?
Perhaps for some, good children are those who wash their hands before eating and remain seated in their chairs throughout the meal. For others, it may be those who finish the entire dish without questioning. Or perhaps it is enough with the fact of not disturbing the rest of the guests.
In any case, using these qualifications seems out of place, however much it is just an advertising claim to attract the attention of customers. And to you, what do you think about the peculiar way this cafeteria has had to announce its children's menu?
