Parenting and healthy eating

[b_44]

I'm not a parent but I often think about how hard it must be to be one, especially when it comes to having a good approach to food, weight, healthy eating etc.

So all you parents out their, what approach do you use to try and prevent your children from having issues about food? I.e is food seen as a treat for being good, are foods seen as 'naughty' incorporated into everyday life, avoided all together etc. ALso are they aware that you are on a diet?

This is just something I find interesting, I imagine it must be difficult given how much information there is readily available at schools, on the Internet etc in regards to healthy eating, obesity etc. X

 

[Mrs.S.]

Hi!

I have 2 girls, 4 & 9. They know I'm on slimming world, but only because they come to group with me

We generally eat the same meals, the fruit bowl is always full and can be eaten freely, and they do have the occasional 'naughties'. They're not spoken of as naughty, but the girls know that they're to be eaten in moderation.

Eldest has learnt a lot about eating healthy at school and therefore comments quite a bit on healthy foods.

Sw is never referred to as a diet, just as healthy eating. I do tell them it's to lose weight and that if they eat healthy now then they won't need to do it when they're older.

I also mention that biscuits and sweets are only eaten occasionally as they will give them bad teeth.

 

[*Emsie*]

It is difficult yes especially as they get older as they can buy things themselves etc

I try not to make a big deal out of it and now I have lost a lot of weight and exercise regularly I can lead by example more. With slimming world I can eat plenty of food so its not like they only see me munching on lettuce leaves though they know there are foods I tend not to have but they do. My youngest has asked me "How do I you do it?" when he was tucking into a bacon sandwich with fat on it and knows I don't and he thinks its the best part lol but it was in an admiring way.
I have 3 children, 21, 13 and 12. The eldest is reasonably slim and is one of these that can lose half a stone by a jog round the block and a day of healthy eating when she wants lol the middle one, my eldest son is skinny and if anything he worries me sometimes that he doesn't eat enough! The youngest is the one prone to be bigger and also the one who likes all the wrong foods and not many right foods! I try to make sure he gets plenty of exercise and am trying to buy less crappy foods for the kids in. He has a tendency to spend all his pocket money on choc/fizzy pop etc and scoff it all down! I say about being healthy but would reassure that he isn't fat and try to help in subtle ways.
I hope this approach will work as I think that when I was growing up people saying I was fat actually contributed to me being fatter and I also didn't have good examples around me.

 

[PrincessPink-x]

I have a 9 year old and a 2 year old. The youngest eats what she is given but is allowed biscuits crisps etc in moderation and she also eats lots if fruit and at the moment loves to snack on cherry toms. My eldest is harder he knows I do sw but he still sees me eat lots and mostly the same as the rest if the family just minus the cakes and chocs for desert. He's at an age where he would choose not to eat the healthy stuff so I just make sure he has some fruit in his lunch box and veg with his meal and if he eats it all he can have whatever he wants. They do learn about healthy eating at school but I try not to put to much emphasis on food at home and just encourage him to eat healthy while he's at an age where I can control what eats. He's very very skinny though so wouldn't harm him to gain some weight

 

[louise1982]

I have 2 girls aged 4 and 20 months. I joined slimming world so that I could eat the same meals as them. It is really important to me that I try everything possible to allow my girls to grow up with a healthy attitude to food.
They see me eating big meals, fruit, chocolate etc they have access to the fruit bowl at all times but they also have chocolate, biscuits and crisps in moderation. I do avoid fast food places as I don't like the food anyway. They have eaten in McDonald's once with family and when asked if they wanted to go my eldest asked if it was a farm lol. They also see me exercising daily, my eldest asked why i do it and she was happy with the answer mummy finds it fun to keep fit but she's too big to use your trampoline.
I think it's going to get harder as they get older but all I can do is try and create a healthy environment at home.

 

[RM07]

I have a 6 year old and a 2 year old. The eldest isn't aware I'm going to SW meetings, the youngest comes with me but is too young to understand.

Usually they eat what I'm eating unless I know it's something they wouldn't like or I want something really spicy. My eldest loves his fruit but hates veg, the youngest seems to be on a fruit, veg a meat strike at the moment to the point fussy would be an understatement! Both are a healthy weight for their height though.

I don't enforce a clean plate rule. Leaving something on their plate will not result in missing out on dessert as I'd rather they ate until they felt full and then they can have something for dessert 10-20 mins later. The eldest does have to have a good go at eating what is in front of him and if it's something I know he's not 100% keen on then I will say he only has to eat a certain amount and mark that out on his plate. With the youngest I'm just happy if he's eaten something!

Sweets, chocolate and cake aren't made out to be naughty foods (although I'm currently not eating them but my eldest hasn't picked up on this!) as I was really restricted with what I could have growing up and once I could buy them for myself I went overboard! I'd rather my boys know they can have these things as long as it's not all the time and as part of a balanced diet.

It's really hard at the moment with my youngest as I do feel like he is surviving off slices of cheese and pasta but we'll get there in the end!

 

[b_44]

Thanks for the replies everyone, interesting to hear the different approaches x