It is very common for parents to resort to the classic "if you behave well I give you a candy" or "if you do such a thing then we will eat a hamburger." Surely, we have all done it once, but it is a mistake to use food to reward or punish children.
Since they are very young we have to instill in them the importance of a healthy, varied and balanced diet but not as a reward, but because eating well will make them healthier, prevent diseases and make them grow strong.
Candies are the most used resource, but conversely we also use food. We usually associate some food that they don't like too much (like broccoli, for example) with a punishment. Big mistake too, because we will only get the child to associate that food with something unpleasant or negative and will end up removing it from his diet.
Food should never be a reward or a punishment because in that way we are only conditioning the variety of your diet. It does not mean that we prohibit the treats, but always in moderation and not associated with any kind of reward.
On the one hand, because kids think they have to do this or that for the sake of enjoying a sweet at the end and not because it is their obligation, and on the other hand, because we are rewarding them with an unhealthy food.
To create healthy eating habits in our children it is essential not to create negative or positive associations with food. Nor should mealtime be linked to fights or discussions, but it must be a time for family communication.
The less we condition their relationship with food, the easier it will be to create good eating habits in children.
