We’ve always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but according to one biochemist, forcing kids to eat breakfast is a form of child abuse. Sounds crazy, right? But according to Professor Terence Kealey, parents shouldn’t force their little ones to eat breakfast at all.
So what does the wise professor suggest we do instead? "I would let the kids decide for themselves if they want breakfast," Kealey says. "Lots of kids don't want to eat breakfast. If you're worried, give them an apple or something, but the idea that you should force them to eat breakfast is a form of child abuse."
Apparently, we don’t have the same understanding of the definition of “child abuse.” Asking a kid to eat some oatmeal or eggs hardly seems abusive. But we do get the idea that you shouldn’t be forced to eat if you’re not hungry. The thing is, when kids head out the door at 7am, they might not be ready to eat, but when their little tummies start rumbling at nine, they don’t have the luxury of eating in class.
Kealey has type 2 diabetes, so he thinks that forcing your kid to eat when they don’t want to could put them at risk for the condition, too. But the idea that coaxing your child into eating breakfast is abuse is ridiculous! And like lots of other parenting choices, it’s up to each mom and dad to know what’s best for their own kid.
Source: The Stir