From: kati@glnserv.UUCP (Lady Dragon)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Eating Healthy (was Re: Halloween Stories
Date: Sun, 08 Nov 92 07:07:01 CST
Organization: Vermi-net, Houston, Tx. 77098

dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Diane Segelhorst) writes:

> In misc.kids, judy@locus.com (Judy Leedom Tyrer) writes:
> >Well I don't know about cute, but will you accept proud?  Ron and I read
> >a study on eating disorders that advised the best way to raise children
> >was to let food be food and not label some things like vegetables "good
> >food" and other things like candy "bad food".  Just let kids eat what they
> >want when they want.  We were both raised in more traditional households
> >where you had to finish dinner to get dessert and candy was rationed and
> >we both had weight problems as children (Ron hasn't gained a pound since
> >7th grade, but he's added 2 feet and he's not skinny).
> >
> >Well, everyone we know says "Oh, that only works if the only food in the
> >house is healthy food."  They won't believe me when I explain that Mitchell
> >will often choose an apple or a banana over a candy bar or that he will
>
> Bravo!  This is what I am attempting to do also.  I grew up in a "clean
> your plate" home.  I STILL tend to finish everything on my plate, even
> when I am no longer hungry, and I have always had weight problems.
>
> I do have a couple of rules I would like to instill in my children though.
> (I'm meeting with limited success so far.)  One is that you must take
> at least one bite of everything served - you can't say you don't like
> it without at least tasting it.  The other is that the kids have to
> sit with us at the table for at least some amount of time.  I'm trying
> to instill in them the sense of mealtime as a social event as well as
> just food.
>
> I absolutely WILL NOT bribe my kids to eat with the promise of sweets.
> If dessert is being served that night (and it usually isn't) it is just
> one more course, and there is no reason why not eating one course (meat,
> for example) eliminates the dessert.
>
> The interesting thing is that the books are right!  Over the course
> of a week, Brad eats a fairly nutritious blend of things.  However,
> last night for dinner all he ate was rice.  The night before, all he
> ate was his meat.  The night before that, just the apple from his fruit
> salad.  I guess he is a one-food-group-per-meal type kid!
>
> Diane Segelhorst
> dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil
> Mom to Brad, 2 1/4 years, and Carrie, 4.5 months

I agree with what's being said here. I wanted to add that even if you have
some goodies in the house, make it a point to offer things like apples and
such to your children, first. We keep a bowl of fruit on the dining room
table that even our 2YO son knows he can have almost anytime. He usually likes
to hang out in the kitchen at dinner time, because he likes to get snacks
before dinner, sometimes so many that he doesn't want too much dinner. But I
don't worry as his snacks consist of cheese, bread/crackers, applesauce,
salad and such. He likes to eat about 6pm and dinner isn't always ready when
he is.

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