A Little Food For Thought
Written by: Zachary Britt
Cooking And Parenting
The end of the day is nearing, you're done with your shift, the kids are home from school, and you're beyond ready to pour that glass of wine and put your feet up for the evening. There is only one major obstacle left in the day: You and your family have to eat! We all know it would be so much easier to just order a pizza, and call it a night right? Well, you might be doing more damage to your child than you realize. Self care is our focus here at The Sleepy Dad. Today I am here to help show you how that shortcut to a relaxing night might lead to a long road of repair to the damage those habits can do to you and your family.
It's Just One Meal...
The tempting choice for an easy and inexpensive meal might only sacrifice the priority of nutrition for a night, but the habits it can form in your child's mind can carry on for longer than you think. Of course obesity is a risk, however our nation's struggle with obesity in all ages has taught most of us a few ways to combat it. However, obesity is not the only risky result of poor nutritional habits. According to Children's Wellness Center, deviating from healthy eating habits, especially for prolonged periods of time, can leave your little ones at greater risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even increase their risk to develop cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, and diabetes. I know that can be quite a mouthful, but rest assured that acknowledging the risks and fears that come with it is the first step to making sure what fills the mouths of you and your children will be more beneficial to your family's health. Personally, as a child of divorced parents, I have seen how food habits play out on both ends of the spectrum. I had one parent that was vegetarian and prioritized healthy foods regardless of circumstances while one was much more willing to make that quick drive by the local fast food restaurant on the way home. It is no surprise that today, one of my parents is very healthy and comfortable in a balanced relationship with food, while
the other is ironically telling me about a new diet or weight loss fad every week. This also greatly affected my own childhood as I have endured my own battles with weight loss and weight gain throughout my teen years and 20's, with many of the poor food decisions stemming from those very same fast-food runs I would be taken along for in my younger years.
Okay I'm On Board, But My Child Isn't
Don't worry, it is perfectly normal for your child to be resistant to trying new things. On top of that, healthy food is often depicted as gross or undesirable for comedic effect in many kids television shows and online content. There is also commonly the opposing yet equally harmful depticion of unhealthy foods and drinks as desirable. Whether the potential damage of this depiction will ever be acknowledged, rest easy in knowing it is not your fault as a parent if your child is not initially cooperative to healthier habits being formed around the dinner table. It is also normal to experience frustration in the resistance of your child to these healthier decisions. After all, most of us would rather order a large plate of fries over dirtying up the kitchen for a vegetable medley, we're trying to be healthy too! The important thing is don't give in and don't give up. Here are a few ways you can turn the tide of the nutritional war that might be going on in your home, without resorting to battle:
Phrasing is essential. Try to avoid negative based questions such as "Why don't you like that?" or "Can't you at least try it?" Instead, do a little digging with some positively framed questions such as "How can I make this better for you?" or "What about trying this is making you nervous?" This will allow you the opportunity to have a healthy discussion about healthy foods, all while keeping a positive tone and association to it in the mind of your child.
Avoid pressuring or forcing your child. If the resistance of your child is persisting to the point of ruining a meal or experience, just try again next time. You could inadvertently give birth to your child's negative association with that particular dish, or healthy eating in general.
Set the example for the table. It is rare that acting in a hypocritical manner will help, especially in parenting. Children learn a lot from watching their parents. Much like a boss who is willing to do the dirty work side by side with the intern, you will inspire positive morale and set the tone for healthy eating by acting excited and demonstrating how delicious healthy choices can be.
Create a relaxing environment for mealtime. Put some music on. Turn the television off. Have some fun with it! Mealtimes have often been a staple in the family dynamic as that is the time to catch up, talk about the day, and share in the laughter and happiness that is the anchor of your life, your family! A happy association with mealtimes in general will allow your child to shed apprehension and make room for curiosity and an open mind towards whatever is being served at the table.
Don't expect perfection! Most things are not flawlessly executed on the first try. With my daughter, I still have occasional struggles to get her to try new things. I used to get frustrated a little too quickly. That often would lead to her sensing my stress and in turn feeling stressed, which as you can imagine helped nothing. However, understanding and telling yourself that there is room to improve will help you keep a cool head as you do the most important thing, continually trying to push for healthier decisions concerning you and your children. There is always another opportunity to try any of these tips each day!
Okay My Family Is On Board, My Wallet Isn't
Unfortunately, there are many situations where choosing the more nutritional outcome is synonymous with spending more money. However many find that the value of good nutrition is worth the additional cost that comes with it. The other big factor to consider is the money you are saving yourself and your descendants by introducing them to healthy habits early on. Take kidney dialysis, a common treatment for kidney failure, often from poor health habits can be as traumatic as it is expensive. According to The Seattle Times, more than $28 billion
dollars are spent annually on dialysis treatments alone. I think many people who are facing costly medical expenditures such as kidney failure would rethink the actual value of an extra few dollars spent on healthy produce rather than salty snacks. Still, some families are not always in a position to expand the grocery budget, myself included at times. Lifehack has a few very handy tips to getting your family on a healthier path, without derailing your finances. Some examples are buying groceries at the end of the week to ensure having fresh food over the weekend, which decreases the likelihood of costly and unhealthy restaurant ventures. Other suggestions include shopping at a local farmers market instead of a large grocer, buying seasonally, and buying/properly storing healthier foods in bulk. I remember my college-era ramen noodle dinners and while it seems like the unhealthy choices were fueled by a lack of funds, in reality it was more often a lack of truly exploring the options around me!
You Got This
Whether your area of struggle is more of a financial one, the climate of your family's mealtimes, or anything in between we are all truly capable of making our health and nutritional wealth more of a priority. Remember that nothing is perfect and that a healthy attitude and persistence will lead to a healthier and happier home life, for you and your meal-time mates! Stay tuned and follow the blog for what we discuss next on The Sleepy Dad.
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