Does food marketing influence your kids?

Ultimately what my children eat is up to me as a parent. I am responsible for making choices for them. Parents have to help children learn the difference between wants and needs. My children enjoy junk food like many children and that is fine as a sometimes food. The issue is not so much one of advertising etc but of parents taking their job seriously and learning to say 'No' where necessary so children learn you cannot always have what you want.
Anonymous

Food marketing does influence my children BUT I am a mean mother and tell them they can't have it. When they ask me why I explain that it isn't healthy for them and believe it or not that usually is enough for them. Parents need to be strong for their children to be strong individuals. If you give in to everything then they have you under control and not the other way around.
Michelle - NSW

We get pestered by our three girls for various types of junk breakfast cerials, we explain the food has no place in their diet & is bad for their health.
James Townsend - NSW

yes, it does influence what they WANT to eat but it DOES NOT influence what they do it, i see to that.
russell - QLD

We have a 6 year old son and these ads have no influence on him at all - for a couple of reasons.1. He has been eating our 'adult' food with us since he was about 1 year old. We don't have this kind of food in our house so he doesn't expect it. 2. He rarely watches TV with ads. Mostly ABC kids or DVDs with no ads
Cathryn Saunders - VIC

Government has to make the laws tougher for the clever marketing guru's. Marketing for kids doesen't work in our family, we tell the children that the food is
Anonymous

I am a 'mean mother' like Michelle. My kids are aware of what is healthy for them, but it doesnt stop them wanting the same things in their lunch boxes as their friends have. Peer pressure is as hard to deal with as marketing techniques when it comes to encouraging my kids to make healthy choices. I know my kids will thank me in the long run but its soooo hard now being nagged and whinged at for not buying an abundance of processed, enhanced, sugared junk foods.
Julie - WA

Of course parents should take responsibility for the junk food consulption of their children. But it's hard to exercise such control when amusing cartoon ads are promoting goods as fun and wonderful. Children do not have the maturity to recognise the hard sell and manipulation of advertisers. We need to minimise their exposure until they are at an age where they can process the information intelligently. The responsibility for the welfare of the next generation lies with both the inidvidual, as well as organisations.ThanksJune - Psychologist
June - NSW

I do think that marketing and packaging targeted at children can definitely influence them. But I don't care. I am the parent and it's up to me to educate my children about these marketing strategies. There's no point in sheilding them from this and nor is there any upside to letting them make these food choices for you or for them. But kids are smart and if you share your concerns and your decision process with them, they will grow up to be better informed and wil in turn make the correct food choices for themselves. My question to all parents who let this style of marketing infiltrate their lives is this; Who is the parent in your family?
Anonymous

It is easy to say
Anonymous

I agree that it is a parents responsibility to control what their children eat and that moderation in all things is the key. However I believe advertising companies and manufacturers have a community obligation. I have fit, healthy, active girls because that's the way I want them to be for a whole lot of reasons. But look around you, there are many kids that are over weight and it's easy to take the high ground - I think it's time the community as a whole was held accountable - including business.
Christine - WA

I agree, it my responsibility as a parent to educate my child on health and nutrition. Interestingly those viewing this website probably already know what's good for their kids anyway!
Anonymous