From: judy@locus.com (Judy Leedom Tyrer)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: A Balanced Diet (Was Re: Halloween Stories)
Date: 17 Nov 92 23:00:59 GMT
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California

In article <119450009@hpsmtc1.cup.hp.com> kperdue@hpsmtc1.cup.hp.com (Karla Perdue) writes:
>
>Judy, or anyone else but Judy has been the strongest proponent:
>
> - about soda -- I would be willing to let her drink soda when she wanted
>   if she did not wast 4/5 of the can.  She only want to drink 2 or 3 oz
>   at any one time.  The rest of the can then looses its fiz and is eventually
>   thrown out.  How do you handle preventing waste (the throwing out of
>   good food/drink that could have been easily used with better planning)?

Well this is a problem in our house not just because of the soda wasting,
but because Mitchell seems to feel a need to have people "fetch and carry"
for him.  That and Erin has a proclivity for spilling things.  So our kids
don't drink out of the can.  They get portions poured into their cups (which
have lids).  They must finish what is in their cups before getting another
drink and must bring the cup to the kitchen where it is refilled (this helps 
them keep track of their drinks and cuts down on dishwashing load).

As for drinks going flat, it takes about 24 hours for a can of soda to go 
terribly flat and generally they are consumed by then.  We also buy large
liter bottles because they reseal.
>
> - This issue of waste is significant for me (another discussion) and I have
>   tried to follow a general rule "eat what you take".  She get a fair amount
>   of control over what she takes (the "eat what and when you want" program
>   would have me change this to give her complete control over what she takes),
>   but then has to eat that.  Sometimes her eyes are bigger than her stomach.
>   She can always go back for more, except when we run out which is seldom,
>   so there is little benefit to taking a lot all at once.  How can one merge
>   a negative attitude toward waste with a lenient attitude for what IS eaten?
>   Can "eat what you take" be compatible with "eat what and when you want"?

This has always bothered me.  I appreciate the idea that you shouldn't just
go wild and put everything in the refrigerator on your plate.  But sometimes
I will be in the mood for some food and then, when I am eating it, it won't
taste right or just doesn't satisfy my hunger.  

When I was a dieter, the saying went "better to waste than waist".  I still
believe that.  

So we have a three prong approach.  First, we generally serve the kids their
portions, so we manage portion control that way.  They serve things like butter
(which is always way too much, and often eaten straight - yuck) or jelly with
guidance from us.  Second, if it is something we like, we are always willing
to eat off our children's plates.  And third, we have a dog.  And the dog's
job is to lick plates clean (so they can go straight into the dishwasher) and
clean up any food thrown on the floor.

Leftovers given to the dog are not wasted.  She is always extremely grateful.
>
> - What happens when the child is at school (where there are fixed times
>   when snacks/lunch are allowed)?  She does have all her day's food in her
>   lunch pail and so can control what and how much she eats at one time, but
>   the teachers control WHEN these times are.  In my case, she gets at least
>   some say in what goes into the lunch pail.
>

There are lots of regulations at school that we don't have at home.  For 
example, no toy weapons are allowed at school, you can't wear costumes except
for special days, you're not allowed to pretend karate kicks, etc.  So I think
school regulations are there for the benefit of school.  The children adjust to
these regulations and understand them.  It makes sense to have only one room
for children to eat in because of cleanliness and pest control.  Children
cannot just wander in and out of the classroom at will because it is disruptive.
Therefore, you have to wait your turn to go to the cafeteria and eat.

I don't find this a difficult problem to overcome.  Different rules for 
different situations.

> - What if your child spends a significant amount of time in someone else's
>   house (divorced parent, in-home daycare, playing with friend) where this
>   time is long enough to include significant eating times (all day or even
>   multiple days at a stretch)?  These other adults may not go along with
>   the program.  What affect does this have on the child's eating habits?
>
I guess the answer here is as much as these differences have on any other
habits the child is gaining from home.  If the daycare provider doesn't allow
children to eat candy, but Mom does, they may start looking at Candy as special
mommy only food.  If this were to happen to my children, I would probably talk
to the daycare worker (ex-husband, mother-in-law, whoever) about what I was
trying to accomplish and that I would prefer this person not raise my child
in this way.  Isn't that what you'd do on other subjects such as TV, fun play,
etc.  

For short weekend stays at a friend's house, my children will be taught as I
was.  At Susan's house, you abide by Susan's house rules.  When Susan comes to
our house, she abides by our house rules.  So far this has never been a 
problem.  But the kids are still young and not out and about a lot.





-- 
Judy Leedom Tyrer

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"	- William Blake
Newsgroups: misc.kids