Roadblocks To a Healthy Diet For Kids – Part III
By Jeff
Depending on the age of your child, this roadblock to a healthy diet for kids may or may not be an issue. Young children don’t often spend a lot of time playing at a friend’s house.
Once they do start spending time with friends, it is usually supervised by an adult and food selections are chosen for them. But as they get older and spend more time with friends outside of the home it’s a whole different story.
If your children are young, familiarize yourself with their friend’s parents. Are they healthy? If they appear to be then don’t worry about it.
Even if you have serious doubts, you may not need to worry unless your child spends a lot of time at their house. For example, if a family friend is your childcare instead of a daycare setting.
If this is the case, it’s just a matter of talking with the parent. Tell them your concerns about your child without making them feel like you’re attacking them or their parenting style.
A Healthy Diet For Kids Needs Proactive Parents
Offer to bring your child’s food. They may like this idea if they’re spending money on food for your child. Perhaps your decisions will also motivate them to feed their kids healthier foods.
If, though, your child only visits a particular friend once or twice a month you probably shouldn’t concern yourself over it affecting your child’s health too much. It may, on the other hand, cause them to want foods that you don’t want to buy. Your daughter might ask you to buy a box of Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts because she had one at Sally’s house.
If this happens, you just explain to her why you don’t buy those types of foods. As we said in a previous post, let your no be no. Another way to solve this problem is to have your child’s friends come to your house instead.
Then you have complete control over their meals. If your kids are older and they spend a lot of time with friends, the best thing to do is educate them and have open communication.
You need to find out why they’re eating poorly with friends. Is it because their friends eat bad foods? Do they mainly socialize at fast food restaurants? Does your child feel pressured to eat badly or does he just prefer those foods? Figure out the problems and together come up with solutions.
Perhaps your child could suggest another hangout spot to his friends. Or maybe the two of you could research healthier options at the fast food restaurant so he’ll know what to get on the next trip.
Don’t forbid them from their friends. This will only create distance between you and your child. The two of you need to be on the same page.
As an older child, they must want to be healthy just as much as you want them to be. If you two are not in agreement, there will be problems. Either the child will lie about their eating or they will comply with your wishes until they reach adulthood and then they’ll revert back to bad habits.
Kids tend to eat worse once they leave home for college or a career. That’s why it’s important to teach them about healthy eating while they’re in your care. That way, even if they venture towards an unhealthy lifestyle, it will be much easier to turn back to their roots.
An old proverb says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is older he will not depart from it.” This is true in many circumstances, including eating.
If you train your child in a loving and open way, they will more likely follow your footsteps and continue those healthy habits for the rest of their life. They will know that you support them and want the best for them.
Are you feeling better about providing a healthy diet for kids? What are your challenges? Leave a comment and let me know.
In case you missed it here is part II from this series.
Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Topics: Kids Nutrition | No Comments »
Get the Complete Nutrition and Exercises For Kids System to help your child become healthier and be able to enjoy life more -
click here