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What your children eat is what you give them! 11/14/2010

I remember when I first gave my son candy; he was about 2 years old. I gave him a lick of a lollipop. I showed him how to stick his tongue out and taste it. When he did, he looked as if he had eaten a lemon! Oops! I forgot it was a sweet and sour pop and he just happen to lick the sour side first! His little eyes watered and he recoiled and shook his head as if to say, "what the #*@&* was that"! I introduced him to something that was completely new to him; sugar. I paused to think about that for a moment and realized just how significant that really was. We teach our children a "way of being human". We suggest patterns of behavior, things to enjoy, and reward our children for being "good" and or bad. We do this with the best of intentions of course! Our children learn how to live life from us! Our habits, values, thoughts, etc we transfer to them! My, what responsibility! When I introduced my son to sugar for the first time, was that really a good choice on my part? Let's face it, I would have a hard time keeping sugar out of his diet because it is in everything! But, do I really want to set him up to have to manage something through his own personal habits and behavior that is potentially harmful to him if he doesn't? Not really. I just want him to enjoy things in life and a lollipop is one of them. So, what's wrong with that? Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Let's fast forward to my training experience and the conversations that I have with clients regarding food. I find that there is an expectation that kids have to eat differently than mom and dad. They eat "kid stuff" and mom and dad don't. However, don't you find yourself eating their food? Your son or daughter may ask, "Mommy, who ate all the cookies?" Now, you feel obligated to run out and replenish "their" food! You do so and start the cycle all over again.

If it is not in the house, it is not a temptation that you can fall prey to without extra effort! If it is processed food, it should not be in anyone's body, especially growing children. Let's not get it twisted...food is fuel that replenishes energy, builds bones, cells, fights disease, and enables life to be experienced positively! Diabetes or obesity are not things that you or your child should experience. We have a responsibility to our children to be parents, coaches, teachers and enable them to avoid all the pitfalls of poor diet decisions. Be the person that lives by demonstration and not by word only. Stop setting yourself up for failure and stop sending the wrong message to your children. Choose to do the right thing for you and your family by making sure they undersand what "food' really is.

Yes, this is "tough love" but in the long run, they will live a life that others will wish they could. Attached is an article on the effects of sugar. Take a look at it and you will be surprised. There is a saying in Proverbs (22:6) "Train a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it".

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