What you eat, they eat, and what they eat, you eat.
Think about it, your children view you as a source of guidance and direction, as they should- so when they see you eating an entire tub of ice cream or a whole bag of Doritos they are learning it is okay, but is it?
Do you think we should be flooding our bodies with processed gunk?
You say you buy those rice crispy treats for your kids, but you sneak into them almost daily if not more than once a day- but should you or your children be eating them anyway?
I am obviously exaggerating in some cases, but in others this is a reality- either way you get my point.
I once read in an article that the top three sources of calories for children under that age of 4 years old are: milk, juice, and pasta. There’s something wrong with this picture if this is true. Additionally, does that sound like a balanced diet to you?
When we have bad habits, we teach our children bad habits and nutrition is no exclusion. I want you to take a moment and think about what your life looks like and how you want your child’s life to be. Are you active, do you feel healthy, are you happy with your daily choices in life and with foods you eat, do you have numerous health issues?
Now ask yourself these questions: do I want my children to have a better life than me with more opportunity, a good quality of life, and success beyond imagination? If there are things in your life that you want better for your kids- where do you think it starts?
When parents don’t make time to ensure their nutrition is healthy and balanced, they are teaching their children the same. You say, well I make sure my child eats well so they are learning good habits-I only believe that to be partially true and let me tell you why. I see numerous parents bring their children to the gym and even though the policy is that they are to stay off the black mat, they almost always end up on it. WHY? Because they look to their parents for guidance and in most cases they what to do everything their parents do and be like them. It doesn’t solely matter what you make your children do, it also matters what they see you doing. For the children who do stay off the mat, most of them are trying to mimic what you are doing because they look up to you.
Now look in the mirror—is what you see reflecting back with all your choice and lifestyles what you want for you children?
Your kids need to know what to eat and how will they learn it if you don’t teach them. Your kids need to know that their bodies are important and health is a priority and how will they if you don’t lead by example? Your children need to learn healthy habits NOW!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don’t make them go through life trying to break the habits you taught them, or spend their lives confused about food, and most of all don’t EVER let them confuse food for fuel vs food for fun. Food was meant to be a source of energy NOT a source of entertainment.
Need help breaking your nutritional habits or want to learn more, book a nutrition consult with me and we can explore what options work best for you.
