I've trying to think how do I do this post for some time, but somehow the things I wanted to say weren't really gelling together. I think I've finally discovered how I want to express my opinion on how the world works.
Maybe I should be more specific and say by the world I mean North America...or maybe it's just America. I was watching television and the Chef Boyardee ad comes on; you know the one with the mom who is on time out because she almost told the childern that there's a full serving of vegetables in the Chef Boyardee, and I get upset. Why is it so wrong to tell your children that what they are eating is good for them? I guess it's the same way there isn't firm enough discipline to make the children eat their vegetables and other foods that are healthy and good for them. Instead you (the parents) lie and deceive your children, raising them to not eat properly but instead take dietary suppliments like Pediasure. When these children get older now, they are trained to make poor dietary decisions, get obese, get heart disease, have high cholesterol and then they hate their bodies because it is not what they see in the magazines, on tv, or even what it should be so says their doctor. So they diet to lose weight but they take diet pills and diet drinks and diet plans like Jenny Craig and the South Beacch Diet. It's a cycle. Or maybe just a straight obvious line and people don't like straight lines.
This is how I see it: I am a parent. I have a child. My child shall eat properly, with me leading by example. There is nothing wrong with having a snack. There is nothing wrong with having a chocolate or a sweet (or candy as others say), but you eat in moderation. I teach my children that snacking is ok and I can snack on healthy foods too. Along with eating fish, greens and other vegetables, dairy, fibre etc. I take care of by body by being active. Run around and play games with the children. Have a garden and do gardening or housework or something as simple as dancing in our living room. I show my children that the one and only body I have is the one and only body I will take care of. No correction, only good habits from the beginning. After that if my child/children get obese later in life that will be their responsibility but as a parent I would know that I have brought up that child to be healthy.
This is my opinion and if you don't like it...don't read it.
In my opinion a great part of parents failure to get their kids to eat right is in preparation and they way that it is presented. Fruits and vegtables are usually prepared in a bland way. And children are demanded to eat it. It brings about a dislike for healthy foods.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. There are so many ways to add vegetables to food, but it be easier for us seeing our culinary culture as opposed to theirs. The thing is the parents themselves probably don't like eating the vegetables too so they don't cook it or try not to use them. But healthy can be tasty.
ReplyDeleteHowever thats not what is portrayed especially in the media,healthy is a task,there's nothing pleasurabke about it. Something only done tgo lose weight or against our will.
ReplyDeleteThe media. It's all the work of the media.
ReplyDelete