When you've ruined your kids đ
Ever screwed up as a parent? Yeah, it happened to me once.
Specifically, have you ever felt youâve screwed up the eating habits of your kids? First of all, trust me, you havenât. Well, at least not irreversibly. Iâm a case in point. Growing up as a child of a working mom in the 80âs, I was raised on Chef Boyardee and Little Debbie. I cringe at the amount of processed food I inhaled over the course of almost two decades. But see, look at me now. Look at all the vegetables I eat that arenât canned corn. There is hope for your child.
But hereâs another question you maybe didnât see coming. Ever feel like youâve screwed up your kidsâ eating habits so pervasively that now theyâre screwing up yours? It wasnât bad enough that these ungrateful wretches destroyed our bodies via pregnancy, breastfeeding, and years of lost sleep, but now that weâre finally at a point where weâd like to take our figures and health back as our own, we find nothing in the pantry but Gold Fish and Z-Bars and a menu outlined with mac nâ cheese and hot dogs. Shit. Those little bastards. Where do we go from here?
First of all, the fact that youâre now reading this is already creating an awareness about the issue. Now transition to the mindset that CERTAINLY there are steps you can take to improve your eating habits (and those of your family) towards better health. Which leads me toâŚ.
Start small. This is not the time to throw out every processed and sugary snack in your pantry. You will crash and burn faster than my kids on an inner tube with Uncle Jeff driving the boat. Here are some baby steps to get you startedâŚ.
Keep more fruits and veggies in the house. Not a lot more. But a little more. Then âmerchandiseâ them. Get some clear glass jars that have ready and easy to eat produce inside them. Similarly, set out veggies while youâre fixing dinner for the chance of a nibble. Or even serve a salad first, before you offer the rest of the meal.
Iâm gearing this message for parents of older children. When kids are young we have more control over their intake. However, as kids gain more independence, itâs trickier to âjust not have it aroundâ as the âexpertsâ might suggest. Weâre trying to teach, not police, good patterns for our kids. Treat them with compassion & respect. Sit down with them & tell them your concerns of your own habits, how they might support you specifically, and IF theyâd also like to incorporate some changes, how you might support them as well. But above all elseâŚ
Practice. Donât Preach. BE the example for them. Make small changes that you can incorporate FOREVER, and then build on those habits. They may be on board at first. They may not. They may actually never come around. However, theyâre 100% more likely to make and keep positive changes if youâre not ramming good nutrition wisdom down their throats. AND, their relationship with you will remain intact sans resentment and disordered eating patterns. No food battles is a HUGE WIN, Mama.
And P.S., if you need additional assistance on this matter, I know a girl. đ