Dr Anna’s new book, How to Talk to Children about Food, shares advice and guidance on how to develop your child’s positive relationship with food.
‘So instead, being very straightforward and saying, “I’m tired so I’m going to bed now” or “I’m going to bed at 9 so if you’d like me to put you to bed or tuck you in, it’ll need to be before 9” are logical consequences.’.
Expanding on her hypothesis, Dr Anna tells Metro that, as hard as one may try, you ‘cannot force your children to go to bed.’ In fact, fighting about it will only make things worse.
‘It also prevents a food hierarchy developing with vegetables or a main course being set up as less desirable than the sweet food you don’t want your children to eat.’.
She adds that neither of these approaches is ‘punitive’, meaning a consequence that aims to punish and doesn’t make sense, such as warning your child they won’t get pudding for a week if they don’t go to bed immediately.
