| Secret Parenting Tips on How to Teach Your | | | | of "being in charge" of our own lunch made us |
| Kid to be Healthy As parents, I think we can | | | | really want to do it. It was a win-win |
| agree that when it comes to encouraging kids | | | | because we felt grown-up and Mom didn't have |
| to make healthy choices, it's not an easy | | | | to pack lunch! 3) Involve your children in |
| task. So what's a parent to do? It begins by | | | | making the grocery-shopping list. Explain |
| creating healthy choices without being too | | | | that they are allowed to choose one "treat" |
| obvious about it. After all, for many kids if | | | | and beside that they have to choose their |
| you say the word healthy, they'll turn up | | | | fruit, yogurt, bread, cereal and type of |
| their nose in disgust! It isn't uncommon for | | | | lunchmeat they want. And they can use these |
| kids to push aside healthy options for the | | | | foods to pack their own lunch! On the |
| "fun" food, which is heavily promoted through | | | | refrigerator we always had a pad of paper |
| television. "If I don't buy the food they | | | | with the grocery list. I remember being able |
| like, they won't eat anything!" is a common | | | | to write down one treat I wanted every week |
| myth among parents. The reality is if they | | | | as well as what flavored yogurt, lunchmeat |
| get hungry enough, they will eat. You have | | | | and fruit that I wanted for my school lunch. |
| never heard of a child starving to death | | | | I was given the responsibility of making food |
| because his mother refused to feed him "junk | | | | decisions for myself, which definitely helped |
| food", have you? Children will choose to eat | | | | me develop into a responsible adult. 4) Make |
| healthy food. It's a process that takes time | | | | physical activity a part of your family's |
| and creativity. There are plenty of healthy | | | | routine Be active yourself and share your |
| foods that your kids can learn to enjoy. It's | | | | activity with your kids. You can play with |
| simply a matter of making gradual changes and | | | | them, such as football, cycling, skating, and |
| allowing their taste buds to adjust to the | | | | swimming or take family walks and hikes. |
| changes. Kids are used to eating foods high | | | | Being more active as a family will improve |
| sodium and fat, and need to adjust to eating | | | | physical and emotional health. Help your kids |
| new healthier foods. This process takes | | | | to find activities that they enjoy by showing |
| awhile. Making small changes to the normal | | | | them different possibilities. During the |
| routine is key. Follow these tips to help | | | | summer it was a tradition for my family to go |
| your child make healthy choices that will | | | | for a bike ride every Friday night after |
| last a lifetime. 1) Have healthy foods ready | | | | dinner. We would sing songs and plan games |
| and easy to grab in the kitchen. Stock your | | | | together; sometimes we would be having so |
| kitchen with fruits, vegetables, complex | | | | much fun that we would be out riding until |
| starches, yogurt and lean protein. By default | | | | 11pm. I also remember my parents using it as |
| you are changing your child's food choices | | | | a disciplinary tactic, if we didn't clean our |
| simply because your are limiting the | | | | rooms that week we would not be able to ride |
| availability of "junk food" and increasing | | | | out bike in the street with them. 5) Have |
| the availability of "healthy foods". Kids | | | | your entire family take part in preparing |
| need an after school snack. I remember my Mom | | | | planning family meals. The more your kids can |
| always having pre-portioned snacks ready for | | | | participate in family meals, the better |
| us and as kids my sister and I always looked | | | | choices they will be willing to make. Healthy |
| forward to our after school snack of the day, | | | | eating is a family project and everyone |
| it was a treat and a way for our family to | | | | should get involved. You can begin by |
| bond. Try having these healthy and easy | | | | choosing one night a week where the entire |
| snacks ready for your kids. A smoothie with | | | | family can come together and prepare and eat |
| yogurt and fruit, baked tortilla chips and | | | | together. Before our bike rides on Friday we |
| salsa, sliced apple with peanut butter, | | | | would have a family dinner night. Often the |
| string cheese and crackers, yogurt with | | | | meal of choice was pizza. Together we would |
| granola or salt-less pretzels with peanuts. | | | | make a homemade pizza with pepperoni and |
| 2) Put your kids in charge of packing their | | | | vegetables that we would strategically place |
| own lunch. Make a rule that when your kid | | | | on the pizza. Sometimes we would create a |
| enters 5th grade they are responsible for | | | | model of our house, we each were able to make |
| making their own lunch and can pack anything | | | | our bedrooms and come together as a family to |
| they want as long as they pack food from all | | | | the living room and kitchen. |
| of the food groups. This was the strategy | | | | |
| that my Mother used. By the time my sister | | | | More articles from this pro: E. |
| and I were in the 5th grade the anticipation | | | | |