Part 3 Food choices and nutrition is a very full topic. No pun intended. We all know how easy it is to make the wrong food choices. We are often in a hurry and make the quicker, easier choice when we grab something to eat. Or we are tired and don't want to bother thinking about the nutritional value. We need to remember that we are being an example to our children.
As my children aged, they were able to choose their own portion but if they took it, they needed to finish it. If they wanted more after taking a smaller portion they were always welcome to have more. I wanted them to understand that it is not necessary to be wasteful. If they didn't finish their meal, desert was out of the question. I didn't offer desert on a regular basis; I feel it is a bad habit to start. Occasionally, they had a treat or snack after dinner if they became hungry.
When they had friends over for lunch, I would set out a buffet of different foods. We would discuss what a balanced meal consisted of and they were able to choose what they wanted to eat. I would offer a couple choices in each category. This became a very popular way of serving lunch and they did not even know they were having a lesson in nutrition.
There are times when you need to stop children from over eating. We often eat much more than necessary because it tastes good. Our children do burn a lot of calories if they are actively playing for several hours. But they do not need to make up for it in one meal. A three year old child does not need to eat three slices of French toast. Look at the portion size on cereal boxes; if they are eating three bowls of cereal, they are eating for taste not hunger. I have told children "Wait ten minutes, if you still want more you are welcome to have more." Quite often when the ten minutes were up, I was told, "No thank you, I am full."
If your children are active and playing sports, you may want to think twice before limiting their food intake; especially if they are not overweight. Busy children need enough food to keep their body and brain fueled. Sending them off to school in the morning after a decent breakfast is a great habit for them to sustain. It is smart to eat well and get enough exercise to maintain a healthy physique.
If there is a weight issue and your child needs to lose a few pounds, take care on how you approach the subject. You are in control of what you buy, therefore stop bringing tempting items into the house. By removing the junk food, the entire household can make healthier choices. Whatever you do, don't allow one without a weight issue to eat sweets and treats while denying the child with the weight issue. Make sure they are more active, instead of making them feel self-conscious about their food intake. As an adult, it is often difficult to start an exercise program or watch what you are eating. Please keep that in mind when you decide what to expect from your child. Try to find out the underlying cause of their weight issue. Use commonsense and speak to them the way you would like someone to speak to you. Be their mentor not their monster.
While my children were growing up, I was very careful to not use food to fix their feelings. If they were disappointed because a play date was cancelled or they were not invited to a birthday party. I made sure NOT TO go for ice cream or bake them cupcakes...in order to make the hurt feelings go away. As parents our first instinct is to fix everything for our children. But I did not want to make food their fix. Instead we spoke about their feelings, they learned to live with their disappointments, and they found something else to do. The library, the park, the backyard, a bike ride; are all good alternatives to a food fix.
Teaching our children about healthy food choices and good nutrition is a crucial part of our job as a parent. We not only need to share information with them but we need to teach by example. If we have poor eating habits; mostly likely our children will follow in our footsteps. Showing them how to put together a balanced meal is only one example of providing the knowledge they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
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