Comments on: Food Stealing, Hoarding and Pre-Packaged Snacks http://stepparent.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged Covering stepparent adoption, step child adoption, non-custodial parents, consent, Terminating Parental Rights, behavioral and parenting issues relating to Stepparent Adoption. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:43:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ljoury http://stepparent.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged/comment-page-1#comment-267 ljoury Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:59:36 +0000 http://stepparent-a.www.adoptionblogs.com/2008/01/11/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged#comment-267 I have this problem with my daughter, now 8, adopted at age 3 from a russian orphanage. At first she hoarded her favorite foods behind the chair in her room (pickles, croutons, and yes, popsicles, when she was too young to understand the laws of thermodynamics). The past few years, she has taken to going on strike for real food at dinner, knowing full well she can sneak down and raid the kitchen. I tried my best to purge the cabinet of packaged food, as I would often find an empty bag of cookies (sometimes she left just "one" of something, and she never threw the bag/box out either). Whether it was my protein bars, or chocolate, I went ahead and got rid of it. Then one day I went to make a cup of hot chocolate, to find out that she ate the raw chocolate powder. And she ate the crystal light dry too, anything she could get her hands on. And being the social outgoing child she is, people buy her cookies, she trades for goodies at school, etc. I didn't realize how bad it was until we went on vacation (and had to resort to locking the chocolate bars in the hotel safe, since she binged on them during a previous vacation, my husband loves dark chocolate). On vacation, she ate. Real food, every night. It was amazing. <br /> <br /> Also, every year her teacher comes to us and asks us if we are feeding her enough (she is on the thin side). Apparently she throws her lunch away and tells the teacher she has nothing, in the hopes she can better deal it. The last few years, I have to start the new year by addressing the food issues with the teacher up front, so I don't look like I neglect to send her to school without a snack or lunch. He also steals money from my wallet to buy candy. <br /> <br /> Lately she has taken to hiding her food in strange places, such as down the wall behind the living room chair (a plate full of pasta), or she tries other tricks. Then she proudly announces she has eaten real food, can she have dessert now. <br /> <br /> I guess it is time to consult a professional, but I was wondering, if talking about the importance of lying/stealing, the trust issues, and the reason we eat well, have not worked, and punishment does not work, I don't know what to do. Any ideas? I have this problem with my daughter, now 8, adopted at age 3 from a russian orphanage. At first she hoarded her favorite foods behind the chair in her room (pickles, croutons, and yes, popsicles, when she was too young to understand the laws of thermodynamics). The past few years, she has taken to going on strike for real food at dinner, knowing full well she can sneak down and raid the kitchen. I tried my best to purge the cabinet of packaged food, as I would often find an empty bag of cookies (sometimes she left just “one” of something, and she never threw the bag/box out either). Whether it was my protein bars, or chocolate, I went ahead and got rid of it. Then one day I went to make a cup of hot chocolate, to find out that she ate the raw chocolate powder. And she ate the crystal light dry too, anything she could get her hands on. And being the social outgoing child she is, people buy her cookies, she trades for goodies at school, etc. I didn’t realize how bad it was until we went on vacation (and had to resort to locking the chocolate bars in the hotel safe, since she binged on them during a previous vacation, my husband loves dark chocolate). On vacation, she ate. Real food, every night. It was amazing.

Also, every year her teacher comes to us and asks us if we are feeding her enough (she is on the thin side). Apparently she throws her lunch away and tells the teacher she has nothing, in the hopes she can better deal it. The last few years, I have to start the new year by addressing the food issues with the teacher up front, so I don’t look like I neglect to send her to school without a snack or lunch. He also steals money from my wallet to buy candy.

Lately she has taken to hiding her food in strange places, such as down the wall behind the living room chair (a plate full of pasta), or she tries other tricks. Then she proudly announces she has eaten real food, can she have dessert now.

I guess it is time to consult a professional, but I was wondering, if talking about the importance of lying/stealing, the trust issues, and the reason we eat well, have not worked, and punishment does not work, I don’t know what to do. Any ideas?

]]> By: Julie Crowley http://stepparent.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged/comment-page-1#comment-266 Julie Crowley Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:48:47 +0000 http://stepparent-a.www.adoptionblogs.com/2008/01/11/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged#comment-266 We did the baby steps thing too, and it just didn't work for us, we kept slipping back. Once I just made the decision to have no more individually wrapped junk, it was actually easy to not buy it, and the fact that snack time has been so wonderful has only made me more determined not to bring junk back into the home on a regular basis. I do buy some healthy frozen snacks, but the entire box is one serving. Instead of pizza bites, we have a whole wheat organic pizza that I can cook up for both boys. It is still an easy snack as it is already a prepared food, but since it is one serving and needs to be cooked in the stove, I know that no one will go in and eat it up when I am not looking! We did the baby steps thing too, and it just didn’t work for us, we kept slipping back. Once I just made the decision to have no more individually wrapped junk, it was actually easy to not buy it, and the fact that snack time has been so wonderful has only made me more determined not to bring junk back into the home on a regular basis. I do buy some healthy frozen snacks, but the entire box is one serving. Instead of pizza bites, we have a whole wheat organic pizza that I can cook up for both boys. It is still an easy snack as it is already a prepared food, but since it is one serving and needs to be cooked in the stove, I know that no one will go in and eat it up when I am not looking!

]]> By: lmg1567 http://stepparent.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged/comment-page-1#comment-265 lmg1567 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:36:45 +0000 http://stepparent-a.www.adoptionblogs.com/2008/01/11/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged#comment-265 A simple solution that restores harmony to your home!! I keep thinking we need to simplify and we have taken baby steps, but the draw of "easy" prepackaged is strong. A simple solution that restores harmony to your home!! I keep thinking we need to simplify and we have taken baby steps, but the draw of “easy” prepackaged is strong.

]]> By: Kelly http://stepparent.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged/comment-page-1#comment-264 Kelly Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:32:16 +0000 http://stepparent-a.www.adoptionblogs.com/2008/01/11/food-stealing-hoarding-and-pre-packaged#comment-264 "Who knew prepackaged foods could be so dangerous to have around the home, and that a home could be so much more harmonious without them!"<br /> <br /> AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Who knew prepackaged foods could be so dangerous to have around the home, and that a home could be so much more harmonious without them!”

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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