let them eat cake
My mom sent me this article about the perils of over-restricting treats or "junk-food" for kids. www.nyt.com
Its pretty funny, and while I grew up in a very "healthy" and less restricted home, I still snuck over to friends' houses for Doritos, microwaved (!!) popcorn and burritos, Taco Bell, soda...
The best part of our yearly epic road-trips when I was a kid? Non-stop fast food— at least after the egg-salad sandwiches on wheat bread ran out.
Leanne Birch conducted studies on 5-9 year-old girls who were treat-deprived. These girls, when given the opportunity to eat treats (even after a large meal) consumed larger quantities and are heavier than their non-deprived counterparts— and other studies suggest they feel guilty about it!
The restriction and control fuels the preoccupation, and leads to the very outcomes parents hope to avoid...