In today's world, where everything is changing rapidly, it is difficult not only for adults but also for children to find a stable emotional state. Every day, children are increasingly faced with academic and social challenges, which leads to stress and increased anxiety. All this is not always resolved in a healthy way: more and more children are becoming victims of the habit of hasty snacks, as well as “eating” problems. In Japan, a separate term has even appeared to describe this phenomenon. It sounds like “kuchisabishi”, which means “lonely mouth”.
In this article, we will discuss this in more detail. And if your child is dreaming of an exciting new hobby, we look forward to seeing him at Progkids!
What is kuchisabishi
The word kuchisabishi describes the habit of eating not when a person is hungry, but in response to boredom, loneliness, emptiness, or stress. For children who are just learning to cope with emotions and understand their needs, kuchisabishi can be a way to comfort or distract them from problems.
How does kuchisabishi appear
Kuchisabishi is characterized by a craving for snacks between meals, as well as a desire to eat something tasty to cheer you up. This can sometimes be quite harmless, but frequent overeating for this reason can lead to obesity and other health problems.
To cope with kuchisabishi, it is recommended to pay attention to your true needs and feelings, develop food awareness, and find alternative ways to meet emotional needs.
What to do if the child is addicted to kuchisabishi
It is important to help him develop a more mindful attitude towards food and learn how to deal with emotions in healthy ways. Here are a few steps that might help:
#1. I'm eating because...
Try to find out what makes your child want to eat when they don't feel hungry. This could be boredom, anxiety, problems at school, or just a bad habit. Talk to him about his feelings and concerns and find a solution together.
#2. Everything by the hour
Set regular times for meals and snacks so your child knows what to expect. This will help you avoid occasional and excessive snacking.
#3. Awareness at the dinner table
Teach your child to pay attention to body signals and to differentiate physical hunger from emotional hunger. Explain that you need to eat slowly, enjoying the taste.
#4. Instead of sandwiches and chips
Help your child find other ways to deal with negative emotions. This can be physical activity, interesting hobbies, exciting programming lessons, creativity, or outdoor walks.
#5. Three nuts for Cinderella
Always keep fruits, vegetables, nuts and oatmeal bars in the house so that the child can satisfy a slight hunger without harm to health.
#6. Be an example
Children learn from adults. If you go on dates with the fridge yourself at night, the child won't hear your reasonable arguments. For everything to work out, you first need to follow your own advice yourself.
Bonus: “Nut and fruit bars” recipe
This simple snack can be prepared with your child.
Ingredients:
1 cup seedless dates
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
A pinch of salt
Cooking:
- Soak the dates in warm water for 10 minutes to soften them. Then drain the water.
- Crush the almonds and walnuts. Add the dates and continue to grind and mix them until smooth.
- Add sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, cherries or raisins, honey, and a pinch of salt. Stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Place the mass on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it evenly, forming a rectangle about 1 cm thick.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to allow the mass to harden.
- Remove from the refrigerator and cut into portioned bars.
Fruit and nut bars that can be prepared with your child are a great source of energy and healthy fats that can keep you active throughout the day.
Your child loves to play, and would you like him to spend his time at the computer usefully? Quickly write it down to free trial lesson at Progkids! We know more and more about programming!
