rewarding with food

I'm struggling to make a conscious effort to not reward myself or my children with food. This is a new concept and huge attitude shift for the entire family.

Looking back, I think the majority of the rewards I have given has been rewarded with food:

You peed in the potty? Lollipop.
It's your birthday? Restaurant and favorite cake.
You scored? McDonalds.
You behaved at the grocery? Candy bar at check out.

I could go on and on. (Almost embarrassing, isn't it?)

Food is comfort. Food makes us feel good. Food brings happy memories. But why?! Everything I mentioned above that I am doing with my kids is exactly what my parents did for me! It's ingrained in my mind.

How can I change this behavior? My kids don't need the treats. They need my love. My love isn't candy or fast food, it's quality time.

So, what am I going to do about it?

I'm starting to reward them with special time. With three kids, they all want our attention. It's hard to spend one on one time without jealousy sneaking in. Instead of McDonalds, we will do something fun. Maybe we will go fishing, take a fun bike ride, play catch...just the two of us.

I'm holding myself accountable. I'm going to have to do a little bit of redirecting so the kids don't feel like this is a punishment.

Just like anything else in life, it takes time, patience and consistence.