Fries at mum's, burritos at dad's: How kids learn to cope through food


By AGENCY
  • Family
  • Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Kids may compartmentalise their eating habits according to where they are. — Boumenjapet/Dreamstime/TNS

My 15-year-old son goes back and forth between his father’s home and mine. When he’s ready to return, I always go to the supermarket and stock up. Yesterday I was talking to his bonus mum (my co-parent’s wife) and she mentioned his favourite food at their house. I was shocked. He never eats burritos at our house, and I told her so. I told her about his favourite food at my house – French fries from the air fryer – and she laughed. They don’t have an air fryer and he never eats French fries there. I’m so afraid there is something psychologically wrong here and we have tried so hard to make it easy on him. What’s good ex-etiquette?

There may be some psychological issue, but I can’t say that based on what you describe. It’s more that he has compartmentalised his eating habits.

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