The family is a basic environment for each person. Its absence or dysfunction negatively affects the child’s development. According to the scientists , only a complete and consistent family gives the child the opportunity to grow up in normal conditions, education and obtain positive role models for the future. Parents’ teaching knowledge is of paramount importance in shaping educational attitudes and ways of conveying information, attitudes and life skills to children. Parents usually do not have the scientific knowledge of pedagogy, psychology, and many socially useful areas. The researchers emphasize, however, that having basic knowledge of life associated with empirical knowledge about the education of offspring and problems of the child brings very good results. Parents’ awareness on proper nutrition of children should, therefore, relate mainly to the knowledge of the principles of nutrition at various stages of the child’s development, knowing the child’s needs, temperament, as well as the threats connected with poor nutrition (overweight, obesity, malnutrition, anorexia, bulimia, diabetes). Parents who have even basic knowledge of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle usually realize that feeding a child undergoes changes and modifications under the influence of various factors. Therefore, the diet of the child must always be adapted to suit individual needs and capabilities.

Key words: family factors, parents, children, eating habits, education.