Helping your children to make good food choices when they are young will help them to avoid future health problems and specifically problems with childhood obesity. From the day that they are born you are your child’s first teacher. It is only normal that they would want to mimic the people that they love most in this world—their parents.
Your children will learn how to establish healthy eating habits most directly from you. Although it is tempting to grab a high-calorie, empty food snack try to avoid this whenever possible, especially when your children are around.
During mealtimes, eat as a family whenever possible. Turn the television off and make mealtime an important conversation time. Encourage your children to chew their food thoroughly and slowly. Your children will learn the signals that indicate they are satisfied. Do not insist that your children clean up their plates. If you feel strongly about waste then give your children smaller portions of food. Learn what a portion is if you do not already know. Americans have a bit of a struggle with this. If you look at the servings on the packages of the foods that you make you will learn that portion is really a tablespoon instead of five tablespoons of some foods. Encourage your child to eat more fruits and vegetables by introducing them early on. If your child really is not too fond of this then add to the vegetables, such as incorporating a dip or peanut butter on the vegetables. Celery with a little bit of peanut butter is a lot more appealing to some children than just plain celery alone. Teach your children to stop eating when they are full. They usually know when they have had enough food even though you do not seem to think so. Do not worry if they eat like a “bird”. They will not starve themselves. Some children are just prone to natural thinness. As long as their pediatrician has deemed them healthy they will be just fine. Treats are fine, but make them treats and avoid making it a common practice.
Lastly, do not reward your children with food, and as well, do not punish them with it either. This is only encouraging future food disorders.
Eat healthy yourself. You are their hero and they want to be just like you. Monkey see, monkey do. Your children are watching.
Angel Lynn writes in weight loss, single parenting, media, and health.