Parents in the name of pampering their children or giving feeding them their favorite stuff end up feeding them junk. Many children in America and around the world get caught in the wrath of obesity and as per paediatricians and researchers, it’s the parents that are ultimately to blame and not children. Children are like wet clay that get molded into the shape that the potter, in this case the parent wants. So, food habits are the responsibility of the parents.
So, if you as a parent are feeding your child junk, is it a kind of child abuse. See, the definition of child abuse says ‘ any action that endangers or impairs the emotional, mental as well as physical well-being of the child, viz. all forms of neglect are included under abuse. No feeding a balanced diet to the child and giving the child junk thus causing child obesity.
As per the definition, there is every chance of a parent being prosecuted for that. Hence, it is quite difficult for a parent of an obese child, if prosecuted to plead not guilty.
Having said that, India is still to consider such a law but America is might already consider the same because of the swelling population of obese children. But ethically, it’s is the due responsibility of the parent to ensure that the child is not deprived from healthy food. Once in a blue moon, feeding junk food is alright but not on a routine basis. Junk food is extremely harmful to the body as it is loaded with processed ingredients and sugar. Many times in order to avoid managing tantrums of children, parents bribe them with sweets and junk food.
As per a notable paediatrician, it is the prime responsibility of a parent to give their child the gift of a healthy life. This can be only done by developing food habits during the early years of your child, so that these habits become a lifestyle of your child as he or she grows up into an adult. Do not let yourself as a parent be so busy that you start abusing your child through the anti-nutrition culture. Be vigilant about what you serve your child and give them an opportunity to blossom to the fullest in terms of health and fitness.
Whether you are an Indian, where such laws aren’t much of a concern for parents or a resident of USA where these laws are in force already, ethically and as a responsible parent, your child’s health needs to be your priority. So, give it utmost importance.
*Sourced form the Internet
