Why Do I Eat Clean But My Kid Eats Junk?

I was an overweight kid. I was 10 when I was put on my first “diet”  by my pediatrician. I remember feeling ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn’t keep up with everyone else in gym class. It was this struggle that led me to get my certification in Applied Clinical Nutrition. Having this background, I swore I wouldn’t let my child eat junk like cupcakes and candy, but the reality of being a parent, has slapped me in the face!

My son is two and it’s becoming harder and harder to:

 1) get him to eat vegetables and 2) shield him from all the sugary treats that are out there.

I think a lot of parents believe that kids should be able to just enjoy themselves and I agree. Too much restriction can cause children to feel ashamed and sneak or hide food. On the flip side, we need to remember that we are setting our kids up for life-long eating habits.

According to Dr. Morgan, a Pediatrician at Bee Well Pediatrics: “Overindulging in sugary and processed foods can lead to being overweight or obese, even in childhood.  Kids can get some of the same complications of obesity as adults including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, liver disease and type 2 diabetes…. Even if someone isn’t overweight or obese, too many sugary foods in the diet can lead to problems with getting enough of other nutrients they need to be and stay healthy.”

So what are parents to do? Once a child starts eating solid foods, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests you feed your child 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. They encourage parents to at least offer nutritious options at each meal or snack. Believe me, my son eats A LOT of mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets at our house, but I also always offer fruit and vegetables, and sweets are only on special occasions.

What I have come to learn is that it’s important to find balance.

I was an overweight kid partly due to the fact that my parents never put limits on treats. At holidays or family gatherings, I could eat as much cake, cookies or ice cream as I wanted, so I never learned portion control until later in life. I want my son to enjoy both healthy and un-healthy foods in moderation. I also don’t want him to feel left out at birthday parties and other social gatherings.

Believe me, I know #thestruggleisreal. Every day I have to be strategic about getting nutritious foods into my picky toddler. I’ve had to get creative by making smoothies, veggie pasta and “special” green muffins. Luckily he hasn’t caught on yet.

When dealing with older kids Dr. Morgan says, “Let kids make choices. This gives them a sense of control. Let your child pick which fruit and vegetable to make for dinner or during visits to the grocery store or farmer’s market. Read kid-friendly cookbooks together and let your child pick out new recipes to try.  Let young children help in making dinner with your supervision.”

For more specific information on health and nutrition for your child, click here.

 

 

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