What is the Role of the Parent and their Teen? (February 2012)

As your teenager starts exhibiting autonomy, parents will often times ask me how they can be involved with their teenager’s meals. This age group seems to “be forgotten” as infancy and early childhood parents receive so much direction pertaining to nutrition that this time in their children’s life tends to be skipped.

The first piece of advice I would provide would be to have regular meal times at your home. If you’re teen is not available then keep leftovers or a plate in the refrigerator for when they do arrive home. It is important for parents to ask questions and explore choices with their teens in a non-judgmental way regarding the types of foods they would like to have in the house.

Having a weekly family meal together is still a great expectation to have with your family as it shows that family time is important and this is a time to catch up. This is a time for conversation without television, texting, computers or other activities. This is not about placing judgment about what your teen is or isn’t eating. They are able to decide for themselves what they would like to eat based on the options that have been offered at that meal.

When food becomes a conflict in the house between the child and the parent then it is time to consult with a registered dietitian. It certainly has to come from the teen that they would like to see a registered dietitian instead of being an ultimatum.