Freedom to take Nosh

hadasa

Mon, Mar 21 2005, 12:49 pm

I don't know if this fits in the Chinuch or Children's health forum. My question is - how much freedom should I give my older kids (8-10 years old) to take Nosh? Up until now, my kids' nosh has been strictly rationed, generally speaking to one snack when they're all in pajamas, and something extra on Shabbos. I never really hid the Nosh very far, I try to give my kids the feeling that I trust them not to take things without permission. Now, however, the older ones are getting more independant and I've seen them taking stuff without permission. On the one hand, I don't want to yell at them, because then I feel it's not fair - If I myself don't always resist the temptation to take a piece of chocolate when I know I really shouldn't - how can I expect them to have total self-control? On the other hand, I do still want to have some kind of control over what they eat, and also, some types of Nosh we get only when someone brings us from another country, so I want it to last as long as possible and not disappear too quickly.

At the moment, I've told them 1. that they can buy Nosh with their Mishnayos money and eat it whenever they want and 2. Once they go off to Yeshivah, when they come back for Bein Hazmanim they'll have the right to take whatever they want (A promise I may come to regret!)

But for now, if they continue to take - should I just turn a blind eye? Make a comment? Yell at them? Hide the nosh better?

deedee

Mon, Mar 21 2005, 1:17 pm

what you are intrested in keeping longer or stuff that you dont want them to have hide away better.
we have a snack drawer with in easy reach of the kids. I fill it with healthy snacks (gram crakers, ritz crakers, rasins, fruit leathers) and school snacks (bissli, chips, pretzles, small chocolates). they are free to take what they want when they want. if they take school snacks at other times then they wont have it for school-they are pretty good about it.
sometimes if I see them taking b-4 dinner I mention something like not now after dinner.

Quote:

On the other hand, I do still want to have some kind of control over what they eat,

I assume what they eat is what you buy so u can control that.

Rochel Leah

Mon, Mar 21 2005, 2:10 pm

Hadassah, I havent yet thought of this issue, as my son cant reach any high cupboards yet, but I remmber when growing up, no matter how difficult the hiding place in my house was, we always either found it or tried really hard to find it.

Tefila

Tue, Mar 22 2005, 1:17 pm

Quote:

but I think your question is, should I have the rule

Hadasa why don't you do as someone else here suggested have a place where they can munch to their hearts content and another place for other types of nash you want to last abit longer since out of sight is out of mind. Do what I do have a cabinet with a padlock Twisted Evil

more so for me then anyone else, but don't do what I've done and lost the key!!!!

Rivka

Sat, Mar 26 2005, 7:44 pm

When we were kids we were only allowed nash on shabbos and for desert after supper if we were lucky. What happened?? We would go through every single place in the kitchen looking for the nash and we always found it.
Even if it wasn't in the kitchen. Doesn't mean the rules weren't a good idea. It was, coz it meant we didn't have nash every two seconds.

What my mum does now with my sister is she has some nash in view and hides the rest. This means my sister doesn't bother looking for nash, she sees it right there and thinks there is no other place.
You still need to set rules. Like only nash after you eat supper and no sweets before bed.

raizy

Sat, Mar 26 2005, 11:26 pm

what do u all consider is nash???

I let my kids have pretzels,chips,crackers,cookies,etc after meals or for snacks . but not every minete of the day.

but "hard nash "is only for bribes or shabbos or one for school. I am not a big nash eater and I have enough hard time about my weight so why even bring the nash into your house..

timeout

Sun, Mar 27 2005, 10:10 am

It's the N work in my house my son has B'H so much energy I don't want him to be any more hyper than he is so we only give if we're at a kiddush and no choice or Purim when he would feel bad.

I give him Chocolate Leben if he's really acting nicely.

I know I'm terribly strict but it's as much for my sanity as his.

deedee

Sun, Mar 27 2005, 11:25 am

Quote:

I know I'm terribly strict but it's as much for my sanity as his.

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!
he does not NEED any nosh (candy, suggary stuff). nosh can also be crakers, rice cakes, soy chips, pretzles, fruits, veggies, whole wheat cookies....(all the stuff my daughter eats)!

deedee

Sun, Mar 27 2005, 1:00 pm

Code:

but don't do what I've done and lost the key!!!!

maybe thats a good thing Wink

. I try to keep my snack drawer "clean" but its hard when step kids mom brings them candys and chocolate that I dont buy. guess who ends up eating it Twisted Evil

I told my husband to tell her I dont want that stuff in my house!!!

deedee

Sun, Mar 27 2005, 5:00 pm

Quote:

I give him Chocolate Leben if he's really acting nicely

why do we reward or bribe with food? wouldnt it be better for our kids if we treated them to special things they like. such as reading a book, feeding the birds at the park, doing a mitzva-my daughter loves to give tzdakah! I just gave myself a great idea I'm gonna try to work on it LOL

timeout

Sun, Mar 27 2005, 5:56 pm

doing a mitzva-my daughter loves to give tzdakah

For my son personally (I'm not speaking of anyone elses child) he knows I do not give snacks at all, he doesn't even ask for anything.

But when I do give him it's so exciting and special that he says " is that for me Thank You Mommy" "I can't believe it.

As to giving Tzedakah going to the park and reading stories I personally do that with my children every day that's the norm in my house, and Tzedakah is given at school every day, and at home before Shabbos.

TzenaRena

Fri, Jul 01 2005, 12:59 am

[quote= hadasa]At the moment, I've told them 1. that they can buy Nosh with their Mishnayos money and eat it whenever they want [/quote]

What a nice idea, Mishnayos money! Could you tell us how it works? (Sorry for going off the nosh topic) My son is just beginning to learn Mishnayos, and I'd like him to be excited about it, and learn b'al peh