L.S-C asked 3 years ago
I got into a bad habit of putting the TV on when I want my children to eat and now I don’t know how to break it.
Riverside Cares Staff answered 3 years ago
Hi there,
Thanks for your question. One of the best ways to change a habit is to change other aspects of the mealtime at the same time. This could be getting your child to help you prepare a meal, inviting someone over to eat with you (as restrictions allow), or eating in the garden. You could also play games at mealtimes as an alternative activity – not games like Monopoly but games like ‘I spy’ or who can name three red foods – these can help to manage the change.
You might find it easier to stop having the TV on for some days, initially, and you could set a new norm (for example, we’ll only watch TV on Tuesdays and Fridays). Or, you might find it easier to go cold turkey and stop it completely. Do what works best for you and your family.
Having the TV on can distract all of us from noticing our fullness cues, so it’s a great idea to take steps to reduce this.
We hope this helps.
Emma and Jill