Well today Makay and I were enjoying some one on one time while Logan was at school so we decided to go to Paradise Cafe for lunch. We just happen to be sitting be the drink area and as we were eating I notice three moms with their three boys who were about Logan's age, (maybe younger I later noticed one was still in diapers). At first I thought how nice a little lunch date, then in my nosiness I was watching what the mom's were getting their kids to drink, just out of pure curiosity. To my shock and disgust they all got their boys orange fanta full to the top. Now I know this is not really any of my business what those mom's are giving their children to drink, but for some reason this got me so fired up, because I see this all the time, lots of places, this time I decided I wanted to post about it.
The reason it gets me so mad is because it seems in our American culture that kids are kids and they shouldn't have to "eat healthy", or worry about what they are eating. I don't think we should make kids preoccupied with fat content or calories, but we should teach them that certain things are better to eat then other things, and eating a candy, cookie, or some other sweet is fine every once in a while, but not all the time. It is so important for kids to learn healthy habits when they are young so that when the do become adults and (as we have all seen) it is not as easy to eat what we want and look great as it was when we were 16. As most of us are entering our 30's and having children we realize that you have to be more responsible fort what you put in your body. As parents WE are responsible for what goes in our children's mouths. And if they learn healthy habits when they are young it will not be as hard for them to eat that way when they are in our shoes.
As we all know obesity is a big problem in the U.S. and I 100% believe that the majority of the adult population that is obese today did not eat healthy as children. I really feel strongly about this (as you can tell). Children by nature are going to want to eat things that are sweet, but just because they want it doesn't mean they should have it when ever they want, that's what parents are for. Just as much as we are worried about protecting the outside of our children's bodies with sunblock, we need to be concerned about protecting the inside of them as well. All of the extra additives that are in the food these days, and of course all the chemicals in soda, are not good for our body. It is not designed to digest those chemicals, so they end up just staying in our bodies and build up plaque on our arterial walls, which decreases blood flow, and can cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and many other things. I know these things seems like stuff that happen to other people and not us, but guess what? We are becoming the next generation of adults, and as some of the guys have noticed your metabolism starts to slow down at 30, for women it's about 35. Taking care of yourself is a REAL job, why not give out kids an easier time by teaching them when they are young.
My hope was not to offend anybody, it was to get this of my chest and share my thoughts about helping our kids and ourselves be healthy, if we don't teach them, who will?
7 comments:
Hey Honey, I think we have a good balance for our kids and you do a good job helping us eat healthy. keep it up, I need all the help I can get!!!:)
NICE!! Like a free info friday all of your own. I totally agree that most mothers have been brainwashed into thinking that it's okay, a little won't hurt, and their just kids. We are teaching our kids the whys behind what we eat and as each of them get older we give them more latitude to make their own choices. I would just like to add to your well thought out post that just because it has the name of something healthy doesn't mean that it is. I am talking about fruit snacks! drives mean nuts at my house they are called junk snacks. Thank you, stepping off my box now :)
Amen sister! Brandon gets embarassed when I notice things like that about other people, but I think all my nagging is working on my 3year old (check my blog). She knows what is good for her and what is not. I'm just glad that there at least some of us that care :) I would have thought the same thing.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices these things when out in public. And I am trying to explain to Logan as well why it's important to eat certain things and why we don't eat other things. Hopefully some of it will stick.
I am totally with you on this 100%. It is our responsibility to raise our children as happy effective human beings and what kind of disadvantage do you give them by cultivating bad habits? I have a hard time with treats sometimes, Anya is just so cute and now she asks so sweetly with her cute little voice. I have to remind myself that even though it is fun to give her what she wants and what makes her happy then, it isn't a good long term habit.
Point A, I very much agree with everything you said in this post. Miia had never had any candy until this Halloween, but than she came home from church with a bucket full of treats and it was all down hill from there.
Point B, remember your comment to me two posts ago...you were right, I am six weeks along:)
You know I agree. I hate that I have to not only train my girls, but myself too. I was the kid with a full glass of Fanta when I was little and now Im paying for it. Thank goodness I no longer have such bad habits! My mom used to make me eat fruit snacks because she thought they were as good as real fruit!!!
Post a Comment