Using food to sooth an upset child may ultimately lead to them developing unhealthy eating patterns long-term, according to a new study published in Child Development.

More specifically, parents who are “emotional feeders” can encourage “emotional eating,” which is a habit linked to weight gain and eating disorders.

“Feeling sad or angry are normal emotions. Rather than using food as a distraction from them, children should be taught to tolerate them and find other ways to cope,” said Kay, who was not part of the study.

Think:  taking them for ice cream when they’re upset about something.  We’ve ALL done it.

“Sometimes that may involve positive discipline and a few tears or even a full-on tantrum,” says Melissa Cunningham Kay, a research assistant with the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. “Parents should not fear this. It is a normal and a necessary part of development.”