I never know which kind of mom to be...the one that gives you good healthy food on your plate every night and makes you try at least one bite of everything on your plate before you can get down OR the one that gives you good healthy food on your plate every night and trusts that eventually you'll taste, enjoy and learn to love a variety of foods so to not pressure you to eat.
All I really want out of the deal is for my children to try many different foods, develop a healthy wide ranging palette and get the nutrition they need from a variety of foods - fruits and vegetables included. I know I can't really complain about the way my kids eat - and I'm not - I do understand that I have it really good in how much they'll try new things and how much they love certain fruits and veggies. BUT, what kind of mom am I? I can't decide what is better for them - to make them try everything I have made? I mean, I did slave over five different food groups on purpose - for their essential growth, right? So then why should I watch two of them go untouched, just to be tossed down the garbage disposal (or if I was really green, in the compost...more on that later in life). So, lately the rule has been you have to at least TRY one bite of everything on your plate. I also hate the idea that you have never even tried something but you just choose not to eat it because you don't like how it looks...that doesn't fly in my book.
BUT, I also want my kids to have a healthy association with food. And to be able to make their own choices about what their body finds healthy and satisfying (as long as it really is healthy!...disclaimer!...I want to be in control!). So, I like the idea of them saying, "No, I'm full, I don't want to try that." or "No, I'm not going try that tonight." And I hate hate HATE the idea of them having bad memories of sitting at the table for 3 hours because they refuse to try the green beans. That luckily hasn't happened yet - not even close. But she has sat for 10 minutes. And that is long for a 3 year old to think about eating one green bean.
Day 365.
14 years ago
1 comments:
A heartfelt post, Hilary. One I think many of us struggle with. Granted, I have a younger one, so it's hard to say "try it," so if she's not in the eating mood, it usually ends up in the trash...which IS devistating when you think of how much time you spend preparing food AND how much food gets thrown away AND how little food they're actually eating. I, obviously, don't have the answer to what's best for a 3 year-old. Both approaches seem to give her a healthy outlook on food. Your 3 year-old likes pad thai...compare that with most 3 year-olds who like mac n' cheese and chicken nuggets! If she sees you and Jason eating a variety of healthy foods, I think she'll eventually be curious enough to want to be "like mommy and daddy."
Then again, I just have a 16 month-old who will eat yo baby yogurt for an entire meal...what do I know? WOW...I wrote way too much.
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