Do You Turn Your Kids Off Food?

Canada
September 6, 2007 11:38pm CST
I was lazy this evening and took myself out for supper instead of cooking. A family was seated near me - 2 children, a Mom and Dad. One of the children - a boy around 10, was deciding what to order and was reading the particulars of a meal selection out loud: "tomatoes, green peppers, onions, bacon, mushrooms..." When his dad interrupted with, "Ewwwwwwe - you're NOT gonna order that with mushrooms, are you? That's gross!" The son ordered THAT selection when the waitress came around, and was very polite, while the dad piped up, "he wants that WITHOUT mushrooms." The son corrected, "with mushrooms, please." And the dad INSISTED to the waitress not to bring the order with mushrooms cooked into it. The boy got his meal without mushrooms. It was an egg dish, and a single meal, so I don't understand about the dad insisting on 'no mushrooms' like he did. I could understand if they were ordering a shared pizza or Nachos or something, but... I have seen parents comment negatively before in front of their kids about food choices, but I don't think I have ever witnessed a situation like the one I saw earlier this evening. Do YOU make comments about food you don't like in front of your children even when they might like the foods that you don't like?From the above situation, I wonder whether or not that boy will learn to 'not like' mushrooms - or if he'll stop ordering foods he likes when he's with his dad at restaurants. Of course, it is highly likely that I observed a situation that I don't have all the pieces of information about. Perhaps, at 10 years old, the boy has a food allergy or something that the father was regarding, on behalf of the son...however, the way that "Ewwwwwe..." was put forth, I'm not sure that the Dad didn't just think mushrooms are gross, while the son actually likes them. What do you think?
2 people like this
4 responses
• United States
8 Sep 07
I dont have any children yet. But when i do i will try my best not to do anything like that. I have a cousin that always did that in front of her child and her daughter is so picky its pathetic! She wont eat hardly anything. I think this is a horrible thing to do to a child. Your should let your child eat whatever they want even if you hate it. Your only hurting your child because they need to be eating the best that they can. Children dont eat well enough now days and they dont get the nutrition that they need. And i think some parents are to blame for this. And im surprised that a dad would saw ewwwe to his 10 year old son. Maybe it was the fact also that dad knew that the son didnt like the mushrooms.
• Canada
15 Sep 07
(the son was specifically ordering the dish WITH mushrooms, and restated that he'd like his order with them)
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
8 Sep 07
I think this is how you end up with HEAPS of fussy eaters & fat people - mushrooms are good for you so there's no reason not to have them in your meal, just because a parent doesn't like them. I think he needs to stop telling the kid what he's eating coz at 10, he's quite capable of deciding for himself coz he knows what he likes! My daughter is only 15 months old, but i try & encourage her to eat everything :) If we have a frozen pizza that has olives on it, i leave them on her slice so she can have them if she wants them - even though i don't like them myself. If she eats everything we eat then we're not gonna have the problem later of her not wanting to try things or eat everything!
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
7 Sep 07
I am a really picky eater, but I try really hard to encourage my child to eat things that I don't eat. My son is 19 months old right now, and isn't showing any sign of being as picky as I am, luckily. I must say, I don't cook things for him that my husband and I neither eat, but my husband isn't picky, so there aren't really all that many things he hasn't tried yet. One of my son's favorite foods is broccoli. He likes it raw or cooked, plain or with something on it. I can't stand it. I can't even cook it because it smells so bad. That's one thing that Daddy has to make for them. But I would never consider telling Elliott that it was gross, or not to order it if we were out somewhere. I don't really understand why parents think that kids should only eat the same things that they do. Kids have their own preferences for what they like and what they don't.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
7 Sep 07
Hi NewbieHelper! I think that the father was just grossed out with the mushrooms because of what and how he said it. As for me, I just discouraged my nieces and nephew on junk foods but always let them order whatever they want to eat when we're dining out. I don't order for them and i only do so when they ask me for suggestions. I think it will be better if they can decide for themselves and just give some suggestions if need be. Well, that is just my thoughts. Take care and have a nice day.