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Post by milly on Apr 5, 2014 10:29:57 GMT
Does anyone have this with their teen? My 13 year old is driving me mad - she is always eating junk, sweets and chocolate mainly. Before she went into puberty she was always slim - not skinny, she is well muscled - but would eat sensibly eg leave half a pack of crisps, accept my sweet limits. But now she always seems to have sweets - we limit her pocket money but know she takes loose change (or possibly shoplifts, she has done in the past). We lock our main money in a safe now but DH is hopeless about leaving change in pockets etc. She has put on a lot of weight since starting a growth spurt last summer and I am worried it will be permanent weight gain - she looks Ok with clothes on but is quite tubby underneath. This morning she said she didn't feel like breakfast - normally I would insist but didn't as it's the weekend and we're eating out later, but then found she had taken the white cooking chocolate and eaten half that!
Anyway, don't know what I am asking really. Just venting I suppose. Dd has very little impulse control so even though she knows full well about healthy eating, I don't think she can stop herself, even when on her ADHD meds.
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Post by donatella on Apr 5, 2014 10:42:38 GMT
Yep. Bigly - approaching 13 - is exactly the same.
Darent leave any chocolate or sweet things lying around as he'll steal them and doesn't care who they belong to. I hid my mother's day chocolates in my bathroom! I bought myself a nice fizzy drink. He drank it. No guilt. He stole money from his sister's money box last week to buy sweets after school. Driving me and his dad insane.
Now we have all the biscuits, crisps etc under lock and key with the key hidden. Helps but doesn't stop it.
Dh and I discussing giving him a monthly allowance to spend as he decides - with some controls - to see if that helps. Says he stole his sister's money as dad keeps forgetting to give him pocket money.
He doesn't take anything else from anyone or anywhere else. It's all about sweet stuff. I sympathise and if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them.
Have also considered giving him restricted access via his own supply but tbh I don't think that would stop him.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2014 10:49:36 GMT
Think it could be a teen hormone thing as my YDD is the same.
She used to be a wonderful eater and now only wants carp to eat, constantly craves sweet things, sweets, biscuits, chocolate, crisps, and any carp she can get her hands on, makes loads of cakes too, but as she is super/too thin I don't mind so much as she needs to put on weight, but I do cringe when I see her removing the lettuce from her Mc'D's as if it was poison and was going to kill her, especially as she had been such a fabulous eater when young. Am hoping it's just a fad, but nothing green or healthy is passing her lips at the moment and I'm trying not to re-act to it as I don't want it to turn into a power thing and the Doc's have told me to allow her to eat whatever she wants just to get her back eating again.
She has put on a big growth spurt recently too, which may explain the cravings for carbs and carp?
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Post by donatella on Apr 5, 2014 10:56:47 GMT
Bigly has grown a lot recently. He's now at least 3 inches taller and in size 8 shoes. And still nothing green or orange will pass his lips! Has though developed a very expensive taste for steak!
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Post by twoplustwo on Apr 5, 2014 12:53:44 GMT
I've been googling again and it does seem to be pretty common. The suggestions seem a bit unrealistic to me - for instance I wouldn't have accepted a slice of apple over chocolate in my teen years (or now!) everydaylife.globalpost.com/junk-food-cravings-teens-13795.htmlHowever several hits warned that it could be a sign of something less benign and advise getting it checked out - just for peace of mind.
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Post by jollymummy on Apr 5, 2014 13:45:06 GMT
Yup!! My son is like this too. Used to choose an apple over sweets/chocolate but not now. I don't usually have many unhealthy snacks in the house - if I do he would eat them non-stop. He buys biscuits or sweets on the way to school with his £1 he is given (to encourage him to walk rather than bus it). HE has also taken to having sugar in his tea - at least 2 big teaspoons! I have always given mine tea but never with sugar.
He does, however, also eat lots of healthy foods (but only if there are no biscuits/crisps) such as cucumber/lettuce/fruit/crackers/bread. It's like he comes in from school and just hoovers food up all evening!! He is very slim but constantly growing in height. I was very disappointed recently to find out that he has to have his first filling - I am convinced it is due to his increased sugar intake.
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Post by littlemisscheerful on Apr 5, 2014 17:40:45 GMT
Another one here! My ED (13) is also getting a bit round, very apple shaped. I'm trying to work on getting her to exercise and then it's not so bad. She won't eat any fruit, very limited veg.
Interestingly, my 12 yr old has been through a dodgy not eating phase (not eating anything on a school day until she gets home at 4). This feels worse.
(We used to eat junk every day at Wimpys when I was this age).
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Post by wibbley on Apr 5, 2014 19:54:37 GMT
My BS was a nightmare too. I had to hide all treats for younger 2 as he would eat all his & then theirs too. Youngest was on a special diet too, even that was eaten by eldest. A weeks worth of treats in a day. I used to buy them all treats for a week, leave BSs downstairs & hide everyone else's. Once his was gone it was gone - no more until next big food shop.
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Post by donatella on Apr 5, 2014 20:12:39 GMT
Have to say I feel somewhat comforted by this. One down, two to go. One with a sweet tooth but healthy appetite, one who rarely eats anything sweet - or anything healthy!
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Post by moo on Apr 6, 2014 5:24:59 GMT
Dreading it tbh.... They eat me out of house & home as it is.... baa is never not hungry always on a massive growth spurt!!! Think I will have to hide all the treats too before long!!!
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by kizim on Apr 6, 2014 16:03:21 GMT
..and here İ was thinking 13yr old Whizz had an exceptionally sweet tooth! İ don't recall Enigma going thru this phase but then Enigma was and is a very slight dainty creature whereas Whizz is more amazon like. Size 40 feet and 5' 6'' although slender..she is very strong.
İ am not sure that her behaviour is helped by all things sugar tho'. Today she has spent most of the day in her room (her choice) because İ would not let her go on a picnic with 3 boys from her class plus one older dodgy boy. İ just called an Amnesty and she has surfaced to eat dinner and is now filling the dishwasher - after which we will have a little chat. Help!
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Post by damson on Apr 7, 2014 18:31:52 GMT
It's ordinary. Our kids are all subject to the pressures of secondary school life. Just stand outside your local shop either before school or after school and marvel at the volume of goodies bought. Sweets and sweet drinks are currency at school. Our AS calmly used his school account to buy rubbish for himself and others. Even when he knew we would see it on the account. That experiment came to an abrupt end. < They do grow out of it, but it is tedious when all the biscuits / cake /crisps are scoffed.
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Post by nzhb on Apr 8, 2014 11:06:45 GMT
Yes , we have same problem too. I have hidden stuff, not bought it, allowed DD to eat loads unhealthy stuff - none of it seems to work. She stole a whole box of chocolates that I had been given & had intended to share with the 3 of us. Says she took the chocs into school - I don't know. I was very cross. She doesn't eat her lunch at school ( possible ADHD meds mean she isn't hungry at this time of day) & then stuff on sweet things when home from school, if she can get her hands on it. Also doesn't want to eat 'normal' food at meatimes - I am conscious that her dietary likes are getting smaller & smaller - she would exist on pasta & pizza if she could.
When she gets up in the morning, I know she rummages through cupboards. Yesterday she put 6 spoonfuls of Options chocolate drink in a cup to make up a drink - I stopped that - & cut it down to 2 heaped ones!
In the past I have hidden things in a locked suitcase but she got a knife & sliced her way in....
It is so depressing. I see so many fat children - luckily my DD isn't one - yet.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2014 14:29:33 GMT
Eating loads as a teenager is normal. I remember doing this and my brother used to never stop eating, used to make bowls and bowls of custard for supper before bed and bowls and bowls of cornflakes at any time of day. He was always starving, as he was growing so much (he's the 6'6.5" one). The difference these days is teens do no exercise, so they are piling on the pounds as they are not burning it off like we did at the same age. It is quite shocking how fat some teens are these days and that's before they have babies, imagine how big they will be after 3 kids. My DD's are genetically superslim. BM had 9 babies and is in her mid 50's and is still slim as a whistle, lucky thing. In fact YDD is too bloomin' thin. Wish she'd eat more.
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Post by milly on Apr 8, 2014 18:36:28 GMT
Well it is reassuring to know I am not alone, and in particular, that 'taking without asking' is quite common! Luckily dd still loves fruit and salad which she has always eaten. She has begun to refuse other foods that she has always eaten, but mostly I can get her to eat reasonably healthy meals. I blame the school for having doughnuts etc available to buy at break times - too much temptation! She buys off an account - I could restrict how much she can spend, but worry that she would spend up on the snacks and not have enough left for a proper cooked lunch. We have instilled in her that she must have a cooked meal at school, and she does seem to keep to that (though must admit I haven't checked the account recently).
I think lack of exercise is an issue - she used to be very active but now does very little. Only has a five minute stroll to school, goes 'swimming' regularly but just plays games, so very little actual swimming takes place.
Anyway, I was beginning to fear that she was comfort eating, but feel now it's probably just normal adolescent stuff going on.
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Post by nzhb on Apr 12, 2014 21:02:03 GMT
Well , we went to a garden centre yesterday & & lot son offer for lunch. My DD huffs & puffs as there isn't 'anything I like' - when questioned further gets cross and says there' is no pasta'. I point out there are jacket pots with beans & cheese - she begrudgingly orders this & then just picks at it. So no pudding & no sweets later, just grapes.
Today - refused to join us for eve meal as in a temper re not being allowed to speak to friend on phone for longer than 45 minutes & then argued & fused the electrics, called childline & then left the house for 20 minutes. Quite glad she didn't want to come to the tea table & has gone to bed ( her choice) with no food.
I am about to leave a bowl of healthy snack out side her bedroom door with a note that if she is hungry , here is her midnight feast!
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Post by rosie on Apr 12, 2014 23:54:37 GMT
Yes We have another one here too. DD nearly 13 is obsessed with sweets and crisps etc.I have to hide sweets,cakes etc or she will eat the lot. I dare not leave money laying around or easily accessible as it will disappear and be spend on sweets. She too was very slim and is putting on weight. She is constantly hungry but never wants the foods on offer.I do get cross at some of the foods they have on offer at school too which doesn't help. I do think a lot of it is peer group pressure. it is reassuring to know others are having the same problem.
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Post by pingu on Apr 26, 2014 16:01:15 GMT
I can remember hoovering up stacks of white bread myself at that age, but fizzy drinks , sweets an chocolate were not quite so all pervasive and cheap as they are now, so coke etc got limited by default. I remember my first can was bought just before ring pulls, and to my frustration, I had to wait till I could access a can opener! ( now I am really showing my age) I was lucky, lost all my " puppy fat" as mum called it, in one go, because I had jaundice at 15 , trouble is I have put it on again due to hubby 's cooking and generous portion size ! I do worry about the amount of fizz and sweets ds1 eats, but he is keen on bananas so I through him a bunch every so often as he will eat those instead sometimes. Still calories big not so empty of nutrition
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Post by pingu on Apr 26, 2014 16:03:18 GMT
Throw not through. But not big Predictive text is so.... annoying.
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Post by nzhb on May 4, 2014 20:58:26 GMT
well today my dd has broken into a locked suitcase under my bed, that contained chocolate. She has sliced it open with either scissors or a knife. I have given her all the chocolate she has had left from easter & told her to eat the lot & be sick!
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 10:39:35 GMT
nzhb I don't know if this will help or not, but you can buy a laptop safe in B&Q for around £50.
I had to do this when EDD was disinfecting i-pods, laptops, phones etc as she ruined so many appliances, in order to keep them safe and I now keep chocolate or goodies in there and dish them out as and when. I also keep any other valuables in there that I don't want them coming across, like passports and any adoption related documents that might be destroyed. It lives at the bottom of my wardrobe as they don't look that attractive to have out on show and it has a digital access code to open it as well as two keys in case you either forget the password or the battery runs out. Best £50 I ever spent as it gives you some control and is a bit too heavy to chuck around. If you had a garage you could bolt it to the floor as it comes with fixings, but I don't have one so it's in my wardrobe.
Just thought I'd mention it in case it was of interest.
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Post by milly on May 5, 2014 13:24:40 GMT
Yes we have a safe too - a money / valuables one which we keep in the cupboard in our hall. Money, passports etc go in - dd will steal any cash she finds. I also stash chocolate etc in there at times - the cooking chocolate is in there now! We also happen to have a box room with a reinforced steel door (previous owners put it in) where I can lock things away - although we keep mislaying the keys which isn't so useful.
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Post by nzhb on May 5, 2014 22:27:53 GMT
I have choclates in a locked sturdy suitcase in a locked study room, with extra keys to said suitcase in the safe in locked study we are like Fort BXXXXy Knox. And so yesterday Ad stuffed a small nail in door lock to study so I couldn't get the key in there & had to wait for husband to come home & get tools out & unpick the lock. Needless to say I was fuming.
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Post by kizim on May 6, 2014 6:25:15 GMT
Well she certainly tried to get her revenge on your chocolate locking...İ hope YOUgot to enjoy a large bar of it when you finally got the door open xx Whizz likes all things sweet and İ am not very good at locking things away - guaranteed to löse the key/passowrd/memory lol so İ only tend to buy chocolate in very small amounts.
Ok İ have to confess that İ can be a bit of a late night chocolate rüştler....in fact a while ago when İ used to stock up treats, the 1st thing Whizz would do in the morning is check the treat drawer and call out, ' She's been in hear again Enigma!'
İ have a lot of empathy with sweet stealers
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