Worring about the effects on lil one.

[laura4988]

This may seem like a really daft question but is there anyone else that worries about what effect your diet will have on your children?
My little girl has just turned 4 and started school, so she at the age where she starts to actaully process and understand the more complicated things, like why Mummy wont eat her sweets when she trying to share!
I worry that my constant dieting will have a profound effect on her in later life. I know the main thing i can remember of my mum is her constant battle with weight!
I worry that me talking about my weight will make her more body aware before she needs to be, and will start worring needlessly about her body because of me.
Does anyone consiously make the effort to hide the fact their on a diet from their children to try and shield them from the body concious thoughts it may prevoke?
Im probably being either very paranoid, or having bubble wrap syndrome (just want to wrap her up till she turns 30!) but I'm been really worried about it today.

 

[foodjunkie10]

Slimming world isn't a diet its a healthy way of living and if you are careful with what you say there is no need for your daughter to even know you are slimming.
When she offers you a sweet just say no thankyou I don't want one there is no need to say why.
With this plan it is also easy to eat the same as the rest of the family.
If she does ask why you are eating differently than before just say because you want the family to be healthy. Explain about the five fruit and veg a day etc they learn it all in school

 

[sweet pink]

My eldest is 5, almost 6, and to be honest I don't hide the fact from her that I watch what I eat. She knows that if she tries to share her sweets etc that sometimes mummy won't have one because she has already had enough treats today but on the otherhand sometimes I do. She knows that treats are fine so long as you don't have too many & she asks about foods that are healthy but that is more through what they talk about at school than what is talked about at home. I don't think of myself as being on a diet though because I see slimming world as a healthy eating plan that the whole family can enjoy. Rather than me thinking that I'm making her too body aware I like to think that she'll be well educated on what food choices to make as she is growing up.

 

[Clairebear1000]

My eldest is 5, almost 6, and to be honest I don't hide the fact from her that I watch what I eat. She knows that if she tries to share her sweets etc that sometimes mummy won't have one because she has already had enough treats today but on the otherhand sometimes I do. She knows that treats are fine so long as you don't have too many & she asks about foods that are healthy but that is more through what they talk about at school than what is talked about at home. I don't think of myself as being on a diet though because I see slimming world as a healthy eating plan that the whole family can enjoy. Rather than me thinking that I'm making her too body aware I like to think that she'll be well educated on what food choices to make as she is growing up.

Don't have children, but this Sweet I completely agree!
SW is not a diet. A lot of consultants won't even refer to it as one (I know mine would go crazy if anyone mentioned the d word!) it's just a healthy way of eating that anyone should follow, not just people on a diet or people who are slimming!
Children learn from their home life as much as in school. Assuming your child eats the same dinners as you and you don't make a distinction between the foods you eat too obvious, she should grow up to be able to make informed choices about food.
I understand what you mean, but I think problems come when your diet and therest of the family's diet are too separate- ie "mummy is on a special diet" or whatever...

 

[Shirleen]

I think more damage will be done by a mum ike me who was out of control all her children's childhood. My son respects me for the effort I put in now. my Dort is a wonderful support to me.

 

[arual]

I was worried me being overweight would give the wrong impression, i dont want her to think its ok iykwim. but while on slimming world i make all our meals the same, unless it something that they definately wont eat, like curry etc. my kids are 7 and 3. my daughter,7, calls slimming world 'the healthy lady'. its someone i go to see to make sure im staying healthy lol

 

[hollys nan]

The healthy lady, love it! S W should use that as their slogan!

 

[laura4988]

Love it. My d did just tell me I can't be on a diet cause I still eat crisps! Like that explains everything! Lol. I do love the mind of a 4 year old!

 

[Lukasmummy]

Me and hubby are both doing slimming world in the hope that it will rub off on our 9 year old, he would rather eat crap than anything remotely healthy. He's picky and awkward, luckily our little one is a lot better he will eat pretty much anything unless it's very smooth or has any kind of skin on it. Hugs Crystal xx

 

[BuzzyBee]

You're right and sensible to think how your eating habbits affect your child, some points are already raised but I'll say what I need to say anyways:
1) Slimming world is by far the most sensible, healthy, wholesome "normal" eating plan one can ever be on. It's suitable for family life as meals are often cooked from scratch.
2) You can still have sweets, within your syns.
3) you can take the sweet and eat it later "saving it for later" or say no thank you as another poster said. This will teach your LO that you don't always have to eat something immediately just because you were offered it - which is another important lesson that many people struggle with turning down food
4) How often does your LO have sweets? It's probably a good idea to limit it to once a week or less.. if it's not a daily thing, I can't see it being THAT big of a problem to have the shared sweet but if its a daily thing then maybe it's not so good for either of you.
Good luck!

 

[KraziKayzi]

Hiya, I have two children and when I go for my group meeting, my son, who is 5, calls it 'the healthy eating club' which is nice, he asked why I go and I told him so I can learn to make us a healthy, which is ALL very true!
SW is really not a diet in the way you have to refuse sweets as I am sure she is only offering you 1 sweet so maybe not even 1syn, would be different if she was offering you a whole mars bar ahaa..I generally don't take sweets when my children offer as I have sensitive teeth and sugar hurts them (yes I need to see a dentist) so I will tell them no thanks as they hurt my teeth (something that hopefully makes them think about the effects sugar has on teeth) but if they offer me a small choc then that I will accept haha, or I will save for later as I don't want to spoil my yummy lunch/dinner.
We are all eating very well now and my very fussy son is getting so much better, and we are all enjoying the new creations I am cooking each night - a whole new life that in no way needs to be hidden from the kids as we are all eating the same healthy stuff

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using MiniMins

 

[Modarella]

I think more damage will be done by a mum ike me who was out of control all her children's childhood. My son respects me for the effort I put in now. my Dort is a wonderful support to me.

I completely agree! I grew up with an overweight mum (who is having a gastric band in feb) and that has damaged me more. I've watched her relationship with food and her weight and it has definitely rubbed of on me. I believe I get my bad relationship with food from her. It was just me and her so these behaviours became normal and a child picks up what's happening in their environment. I'd rather my kids know I'm eating healthy etc than letting them learn the bad habits x