WWYD - 13 yr old just binged on an entire bag of Oreo cookies

[Anonymous]

We are a family that has sugary dessert only once a week, the rest of the time we end dinner with fresh fruit. We allow occasional treats but we're not really into a lot of junk food.

Our 13 yr old DS bought a bag of Oreos the other day with his own allowance money on the understanding that he could have a couple as an occasional treat. He bought the Oreos on Friday afternoon. They were completely gone by Saturday night.

He knows that we would not be OK with him doing this. When we found out he said he just couldn't control himself around the Oreos.

What's an appropriate consequence for this behavior? We've never known him to binge but this is also the first time we've let him buy a full-size snack bag with his own money.

He's had some issues lying around sneaking video game time but he's generally an honest kid. Clearly cannot be trusted around video games and Oreos tho.

[Anonymous]

This can not be a serious post

Get the f out here. LOL

[Anonymous]

What do you think you should do as a parent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are a family that has sugary dessert only once a week, the rest of the time we end dinner with fresh fruit. We allow occasional treats but we're not really into a lot of junk food.

Our 13 yr old DS bought a bag of Oreos the other day with his own allowance money on the understanding that he could have a couple as an occasional treat. He bought the Oreos on Friday afternoon. They were completely gone by Saturday night.

He knows that we would not be OK with him doing this. When we found out he said he just couldn't control himself around the Oreos.

What's an appropriate consequence for this behavior? We've never known him to binge but this is also the first time we've let him buy a full-size snack bag with his own money.

He's had some issues lying around sneaking video game time but he's generally an honest kid. Clearly cannot be trusted around video games and Oreos tho.

Apologize for restricting his food so he feels like he needs to binge eat? And buy him a box at Costco.

[Anonymous]

Important learning opportunity. Careful conversation. No punishment.

[Anonymous]

I would strongly suggest you revisit the food rules of your house. Forbidden foods become sought-after foods. We don’t have food rules here and my ravenous teenager eats a pretty good range of foods, which includes junk food, fruits, vegetables, and lots of other things.

Anyway, my suggestion is that there is no consequence. Maybe he has a stomach ache. Maybe he experiences no effect. The effect of binging a package of Oreos or Girl Scout cookies or…a bag of grapes is minimal, tbh. Focus on teaching life long skills and don’t make foods off limits.

Also, if he’s sneaking video games, revisit those rules, too…

A mental health counselor parent

[Anonymous]

Who among us has not done such a thing?

[Anonymous]

Well, 13 years of severely restricting sugary snacks doesn't seem to be achieving your goals, does it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This can not be a serious post

Get the f out here. LOL

I wish it were a joke.

[Anonymous]

Poor kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are a family that has sugary dessert only once a week, the rest of the time we end dinner with fresh fruit. We allow occasional treats but we're not really into a lot of junk food.

Our 13 yr old DS bought a bag of Oreos the other day with his own allowance money on the understanding that he could have a couple as an occasional treat. He bought the Oreos on Friday afternoon. They were completely gone by Saturday night.

He knows that we would not be OK with him doing this. When we found out he said he just couldn't control himself around the Oreos.

What's an appropriate consequence for this behavior? We've never known him to binge but this is also the first time we've let him buy a full-size snack bag with his own money.

He's had some issues lying around sneaking video game time but he's generally an honest kid. Clearly cannot be trusted around video games and Oreos tho.

Nothing. He spent his allowance on them and now they are gone. He might feel disgusting, he might get a few more pimples.

[Anonymous]

He probably binged because he feels deprived. Dessert once a week is nothing for a teen. I understand wanting your kids to eat healthy but restricting works against your goals. I’d be more concerned if dessert was readily available and he still binged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This can not be a serious post

Get the f out here. LOL

I wish it were a joke.

If you wish you didn't parent in this destructive way, then you can change it.

That's the part that seems like a joke, that someone who is educated enough to write in complete sentences wouldn't know that this kind of controlling parenting of teens with respect to food is setting them up for lifetime struggles. You are sabotaging your child.

You control what is served at meals in your house, and let him begin to gain control outside of it, starting with what he buys with his own money. And get therapy for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Is your end goal to create issues around food? If so, go right ahead and come up with some sort of consequence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would strongly suggest you revisit the food rules of your house. Forbidden foods become sought-after foods. We don’t have food rules here and my ravenous teenager eats a pretty good range of foods, which includes junk food, fruits, vegetables, and lots of other things.

Anyway, my suggestion is that there is no consequence. Maybe he has a stomach ache. Maybe he experiences no effect. The effect of binging a package of Oreos or Girl Scout cookies or…a bag of grapes is minimal, tbh. Focus on teaching life long skills and don’t make foods off limits.

Also, if he’s sneaking video games, revisit those rules, too…

A mental health counselor parent

Let me understand. You're suggesting that parents buy Oreos, Cheetos, and other kinds of junk food in order that these foods not become forbidden foods?

And how would you revisit the rules around video games? Just let him play an unlimited amount?

This sounds like non-parenting to me.