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THINK OUTSIDE THE MEAL AND ALLOW YOUR KIDS TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES FOR THEMSELVES
For most of you who know my writings and my work, the title of
this article may come as a surprise to you. But, I have been thinking
a lot lately about my role as a mother and how I can best feed and develop healthy eating habits (as well as life habits) for my children—not just for now but for the long haul! Does forcing my son, Oliver, to eat his grilled cheese sandwich instead of allowing him to just grab an apple and a yogurt really serve him well? Is it even more nutritious?
This thought came to me one weekend in the summer when I was sitting by the pool at our club with a like-minded, health-conscious mother. After swimming, her daughter was ravenous and was downright begging her mother for fruit, but her mom’s first reaction was: “You didn’t eat your lunch; you can’t have fruit.” Much as we adore our club, the lunch choices leave much to be desired (consisting of the standard club fare of grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and French fries with no veggies in sight). When I pointed out that fruit bursting with nutrition and live enzymes certainly would be a more nutritious option, of course she saw that immediately!
The interaction at the pool got me thinking. We are so conditioned about what is acceptable for breakfast, lunch and dinner and having distinct meals that we begin to cloud our connections with our bodies and what we are actually hungry for!
Now, I am obviously not a proponent for giving kids donuts for breakfast, hot dogs for lunch and pizza for dinner, or having them scarf down a bag of chips in the afternoon because that is “what they are hungry for.” But, I do think that it is important for us to encourage children to listen to themselves and their bodies and allow ourselves to become more in touch with our own needs and let go of rigid beliefs.
Here are some touch points to get started:
Encourage children to eat when they are hungry. This does not mean that you become a short-order cook and are at their beck and call for meal making! What this does mean is that your child sits at dinner with no coercion to eat and that if he or she is hungry for fruit or yogurt for dinner that you loosen up. At the very least, tell your children that they should not eat if they are not hungry and cover their plate and tell them you will put it aside for when they are hungry! If they are not hungry and have not digested a prior meal or snack, do we really want them piling more in?
If your children are eating way too many cookies or junk food in a food frenzy, ask them to stop, and ask them if they are truly hungry. If you want to take it further, after they have eaten it, ask them how they feel. If they have a sore stomach or feel heavy, certainly capitalize on that and take this as an opportunity to have a discussion about how this food makes them feel. Remind them of this in a loving way next time you see the situation arise.
Expand your definition of mealtime! Food is food is food and it is important to eat when you are hungry! This is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children. Our diets should consist primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds, but when we eat these is not so important. Try to have a beautiful fresh bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter for little ones to nibble on when they get home for school or grab in the morning on the way to school. Put fresh nuts and seeds out in bowls for snacks, as well as fresh vegetable crudité plates.
“Is this best for my body or that of my child’s?” should be the guiding principle, not some notion that we need to let go of! Try to loosen up a bit with yourself and your children and see how much more pleasant mealtime can be and how much happier and more in tune children will be when they are empowered to make their own choices!
Katherine Pennington is a holistic health counselor and founder of Be in Balance, which helps women and men lose weight, reduce stress and achieve more balance in their lives. Additionally, Katherine runs a cooking program for kids and their moms called Kids in the Kitch, in which she helps mothers and fathers cook healthier meals for their families as well as works one-on-one with children. Katherine is also an avid runner and marathoner and advises athletes on how to fuel for maximum performance and health.
Katherine graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition/Columbia Teachers College and is a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Additionally, Katherine is a founding member of Women for Family Nutrition (www.wffn.org).
Katherine resides in New York City and is the mother to two beautiful children.
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