If you are longing for a quiet and relaxing meal with your kids, cut up their food as research has found that children are likely to become more rowdy when they need to bite the food with their front teeth.
When 6-10 year old children ate foods they had to bite with their front teeth, such as drumsticks, whole apples, or corn on the cob, they were rowdier than when these foods had been cut, said the study.
"They were twice as likely to disobey adults and twice as aggressive toward other kids," said Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University.
For the study, the researchers observed 12 elementary children for two days.
The findings indicated that when children were served chicken on the bone, they acted twice as aggressively, and were twice as likely to disobey adults, than when they were served bite sized pieces of chicken.
Furthermore, the children who were served chicken on the bone left the circle without permission more frequently and were more likely to jump and stand on the picnic tables.
When children need to bite into food with their front teeth, they are more likely to get rowdy, the researchers noted.
The study appeared in the journal Eating Behaviors.
