Originally published Monday, 14 May 2012.
Am I the only one who feels that we are raising our kids in a culture inundated by just way too much junk food?
Yet when I push back against the tide, I start to feel (and our kids feel) that I am somehow being “strict”!
Now, I’m beginning to believe that the problem doesn’t lie with “strict” parents like me.
Maybe the bigger problem is that one of our nation’s food mottos is “Super size that!”
We’ve come to accept the philosophy that when it comes to food, bigger is better. And we’ve been fooled into thinking that it’s not such a big deal that so much of our easily-available food, over time, is bad news.
So I was pretty excited to read this week’s blog post by Meg Meeker, a pediatrician and author. The title is, “Obesity in Kids: Parents this is war.” Her point: there is an epidemic of childhood obesity due to junk food and our overall eating habits. And as parents, we need to wage a war against it.
(See, kids? Even at my most strict, I have yet to tell you that I plan to “wage a war.” But maybe I will start after this!)
Some of her Wage-A-War List includes:
- Control all the food that comes into your house.
- This includes no junk food at home. (I had to blink twice at this one. But it’s true! There’s a reason it’s called junk, right?)
- Train our kids to stay away from the fridge except at meal times.
For me, this taps into a bigger picture.
The bigger picture is this: am I willing to set different standards for my children’s lives, despite what’s being done all the time, all around us? What do I do when I meet a tidal wave of resistance, not only from the kids but from the culture at large?
It’s a key parenting skill.
I think the answer lies in setting a clear priority. For example, deciding to help our kids achieve long term health and healthy habits, over short term pleasure. Then after thought and prayer, sticking with the priority.
Food is just the beginning!
Question: What ways have you found to promote a healthy food lifestyle for your family?
Warmly,
* * *
The best way we learn is from each other. You have a unique wisdom and insight that can truly bless others! So jump in and add your voice. I love to read what you share.
Dr. Ann is a Christian M.D., wife to her wonderful husband, and mom to a terrific gang of three. At The Marriage Checklist Ann blogs about marriage, motherhood, and more! She is syndicated on Crosswalk.com, and has been featured onBlogHer.com, MichaelHyatt.com, Fox news, and Good Morning America.
You can read more from Dr. Ann at TheMarriageChecklist.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
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Are you ready then? Let’s go!
Copyright Dr. Ann 2012
(photo credit: Stuart Miles)
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