Parenting styles can often vary between couples, with some prioritising certain needs over others. A woman, however, recently ran into a bit of controversy on TikTok for her parenting decisions.
She stated that she did not let her son eat birthday cakes in school during celebrations. Instead, his teachers are instructed to give him fruits as a healthier option.
Many have criticised her for doing so, prompting her to further clarify her choices on the social media platform.
Posting to TikTok on 1 Dec, the woman stated that her son does not share the birthday cake with the rest of his class during monthly celebrations.
Source: TikTok
Instead, his teacher offers him fruits as a healthier replacement.
“He’s more than welcome to sing and celebrate the happy occasion with [them],” she added.
She did make an exception for his own birthday, during which she made one for him. When asked how big a portion it should be, the teacher told her the cake should be enough for “25 to 30” slices.
Hence, she concluded that this must mean each student in her son’s class would eat the same number of slices of cake for the entire year.
Source: TikTok
The woman pointed out this was far too excessive, even for herself.
Stressing that growing children need the right amount of nutrients, she said her restriction prevents her son from associating junk food with celebrations.
She said that birthday parties come with the common tradition of celebrating with a cake, which can be potentially unhealthy for children who consume it too much.
Despite her good intentions, netizens flocked to the comments section and criticised her for her decision.
She has since uploaded two more videos to elaborate on the rationale behind not allowing her son to share birthday cakes.
Source: TikTok
As multiple users pointed out that the child could burn through the calories gained from eating such treats very fast, she noted in the first video that processed food, like cakes, contain added chemicals and preservatives.
This makes it harmful to consumers.
Source: TikTok
While it’s difficult to avoid such food in our daily lives, the woman remained steadfast in her determination to limit it as much as possible.
She also shared that she does explain the reasons behind the restriction to her child, ensuring he’s aware of the risks of eating unhealthily.
“I can’t say for sure that… he’s happy with my decision,” she said. “But at least he can see where I’m coming from.”
Many also raised concerns about him not being able to fully enjoy social situations under the restriction.
In response, the woman pointed out that her son gets to consume cake on other occasions. For these circumstances, she is present and able to moderate his intake.
This applies to everyday snacks too, such as fish biscuits. Her son typically agrees to her restriction without any meltdowns, she added.
As for the risk of developing eating disorders or revenge eating, she took those into account and discussed them with her husband before implementing the rule.
In addition to imposing the ban, she would also teach her child to moderate junk food intake.
Some argued that teachers would know the appropriate portion to provide students with.
However, the woman noted that the limits of moderation differ for every individual.
Ultimately, she stressed the importance of cultivating good habits in children, which can start from a young age.
“We can all respect each other’s preferences without hate and judgement,” she said.
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Featured image adapted from TikTok, TikTok and TikTok.
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