Food as Rewards and Punishments

Food as Rewards and Punishments Parents, as well as pet owners, teachers, and business owners have discovered the advantages of using food as rewards and punishments. This idea has become so accustomed in our society that even places like Krispy Kreme Doughnuts give a free doughnut for every A received on a report card. It is not uncommon to see teachers who give candy when students behave well. Nourishment can be just as effective as a new toy or spanking. Food as rewards has become very common in our lifestyle, but there are also disadvantages to using food as a weapon.
A young girl giving her dog a treat, very common when training pets.
A young girl giving her dog a treat, very common when training pets. Many different situations allow for food to be used as a reward. Receiving good grades, behaving well, and learning all present themselves with a reward and punishment system. Parents use dessert or taking their child out to eat as a weapon to reinforce good deeds. Teachers give pizza parties or candy when a class is good for a substitute. Training a pet to go outside when using the restroom is much easier with the help of treats as well. According to Mary Rydman, CEF, who wrote “Food and Emotions or But I Need My Chocolate!” says that at an early age we are taught that food and emotions go hand in hand, starting at breast feeding. She says “When food is used as reward or punishment for children, emotional ties to the receiving or withholding of food are deepened even more.” We begin to see food as more than just nourishment for our bodies; it becomes a source of happiness or sadness.
People everyday use food as a weapon to get what they want. It is so common it is even sold in stores in the form of books on how to raise children or dog training videos. There are a few advantages to using food as rewards. In a fast paced lifestyle that many Americans live in today candy is convenient; it’s small, portable, and easily accessible. Candy can be purchased