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Currently, kids #1 source of nutrition education is the TV. Isn’t that SCARY? They get very little at school, so it’s our jobs, as parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and caregivers to help educate them. Just picture what they see on TV; Fast Food, candy, sugary cereals, more sugar, more fat…..ever seen an ad for fruits and veggies? Either have I. Unfortunately many kids have no clue about proper nutrition. So we have some work to do.
We need to start very young at educating our kids, not just to prevent obesity, and eating disorders, but to help them feel good day in and day out, and help them prevent getting the “bugs” that get passed around. Here are some ideas:
1. Use non-emotional language such as, “It’s MY JOB to provide foods for you that will help you grow and be healthy. Do you want me not to do a good job at taking care of you?” This will help deflect the “bad-guy” because it’s YOUR JOB.
2. Use the words “foods that make you grow and be healthy” and foods that “do
not help you grow and be healthy” and leave it at that. Do not use the words bad foods, or fattening or any dialogue like that. Keep the emotions out of it.
3. Ask them to be involved in food choices. Help them create a list of foods that will make grow and be healthy_______, And then a list of foods that don’t make you grow and be healthy________.
Even if they aren’t growing taller anymore, there is always cellular repair and turnover which require healthy foods.
4. You decide (remember it’s YOUR JOB) how many non-growing foods that are going to be allowed in one day. Don’t be too strict, and gradually tighten the reigns. It all depends on how much junk the kids started off eating. Don’t change too much too soon. They may ask for something junky and you can reinforce and educate that this is one of their non-growing foods and ask if they still want it. They may wait and have a “better- one” (non-growing food) later.
PLEASE don’t ever put your kid on a diet or a low carbohydrate plan. Typical intake of carbohydrate by Americans is 40% from pure sugar. Of course this definitely needs to decrease but the media and marketing has gone way too far and everyone is paranoid of carbs. Think of “god-made” or “Earth-grown” carbs. Fruits, veggies, and whole grains are not the ones to be eliminated. We need the phytonutrients from plant foods to protect our bodies. The more colors from plant foods you can eat the better…..and Skittles do not count for colors.
So, this summer, enjoy the watermelon and have fun being active at the park or pool. I can picture the happy sticky faces now.
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