“Daddy got us Happy Meals!”
Does this sound familiar to you?
Well, then you are not alone, apparently.
According to a new study, mums are the ones who worry about sugar-content and how many pieces of broccoli their little eat (or not eat) at dinner. Dads, on the other hands, are far less likely to feel stressed about nutrition, and more inclined to treat the kids to treats and junk foods.
Priya Fielding-Singh, a doctoral candidate in sociology at Stanford University, interviewed 44 families that had at least one teenage son or daughter. Her goal? Trying to get a picture on overall eating habits, and find out whether or not these change depending on which parent was in charge at the time.
And guess what? They sure did.
What Fielding-Singh found, was that in a whopping 93 percent of cases, both the children themselves and the mums admitted they thought the father’s food quality standards were rather low. In other words – dads are more likely to give kids sweets and unhealthy treats.
“In my research, when it came to modelling good eating habits, dad was found to be the “fun” parent, Fielding-Singh wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Dad didn’t force Brussels sprouts down anyone’s throat, and children could always count on dad for junk food. As one teenager also told me, “If I want some chips or cookies, I’ll ask my dad to get them for me. Then, my mom usually finds out and gets mad.”
In her article, she also made the point that many mothers actually wish they could trust their partners more when it came to mealtime, but they are concerned the meals won’t be as healthy.
What do YOU think, mums? Is this the case in your house? Do you mind? Or do you think kids generally need one nutrition-focused parent and one parent who is more relaxed about treats? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @herfamilydotie
