PARENTS ONLY: keeping family & kids healthy & well

kapoorpk

I think, its not only important for us to keep ourselves as healthy and well as possible for ourselves but also for our family. But, I also think with all the knowledge, experience and successes we acquire during our lifespan, we ought to create a life long gift of health and wellness as part of our family and especially our kids lifestyle from very young age. So, weight issues or unhealthy habits that many of us have to overcome in our older years are avoided or at least minimized to begin with.

We must instill a culture of health and wellness without compromising the fun factor for our kids. I wonder how, if any other parents, are balancing creating a family culture of healthy lifestyles for their kids and families without making it too tedious or boring for them.

For us, we are trying to introduce the yummiest healthy choices for them to chose from, teaching them portion control, knowledge around good and bad foods and enticing 60 minutes of physical activity.

Please share your experiences.

kat3a1

That is so wonderful for your kids. My youngest has Asperger's and will basically only eat "White foods" for the most part and refuses any meat or green veggies. He is a HUGE challenge. What I've noticed lately, is that the more I support my teenager with sports at school the more he looks forward to it and is excited to work his bottom off. We as parents are the examples, just their seeing us eat healthy can naturally rub off. I noticed this week that my entire bag of raw spinach is GONE. Seems as though he decided it was his food of choice this week. I almost fainted, lol. My point is that I realized it's because he has been watching me. It was a great feeling!

kapoorpk

That is so wonderful for your kids. My youngest has Asperger's and will basically only eat "White foods" for the most part and refuses any meat or green veggies. He is a HUGE challenge. What I've noticed lately, is that the more I support my teenager with sports at school the more he looks forward to it and is excited to work his bottom off. We as parents are the examples, just their seeing us eat healthy can naturally rub off. I noticed this week that my entire bag of raw spinach is GONE. Seems as though he decided it was his food of choice this week. I almost fainted, lol. My point is that I realized it's because he has been watching me. It was a great feeling!

Thanks for sharing. I think you make a very good point about us as parents simply leading our kids behaviors by example. No substitute for that. Your daily diaries look very well balanced and healthy. Your kids ought be proud of you.

Thanks again for sharing and feel free to continue to converse as we all live and learn new things all the time.

Francl27

They did healthy month at school. Now my 5yo know what's healthy and what isn't.

We try to limit the junk we give. We have healthy dinners. The worst snacks in our house are goldfish and sometimes cookies (oatmeal). I try to push fruit instead (which they love). We switched to low sugar cereal. When they start kindergarten we'll walk there (20 minutes). I still take them to McDonald's once a week though.

aseymour13

My kids are 19 and 21 and both are great about their food choices. My youngest never battled her weight but my oldest did. As a family , we were always very active - soccer, skiing, cycling and hiking. My focus with my oldest when she was 14 was about being fit and healthy not about how thin one was. There can be so much pressure on young girls to be thin which most times has little to do with being healthy. She took it to heart and by her sophomore year had lost 20 lbs (all on her own eating healthy and exercising) . She made the Varsity soccer team that year. I think we as parents have to lead by example in all aspects.

TrailRunner61

I've raised 3 healthy, fit kids (one is a U.S. Marine!) and now have 4 grandkids.
What I've learned over the years is that you HAVE to get your kids away from technology and OUTSIDE. Take family hiking trips, go to a park, etc. Take them camping, play ball, do yard work together and make it fun!
Have the kids help you garden. They can help plant seeds, water and harvest healthy veggies and fruits. Then bring them in the house and have them help you wash and prepare some. Little kids loveee to help in the kitchen and they are more apt to try a new veggie if they see you 'working' with it and they get to help. My little 3 & 2 year old grandsons eat more vegetables than most adults I know.
Expose the kids to healthy vegetables & fruits at a young age and keep doing it! Set an example by preparing and eating them yourself daily. Pick colors of the rainbow and let them know that the brighter they are (or greener) the healthier they are. Tell them WHY we need to eat healthy foods. Show them the difference and tell them what each item can do for their body. It does take homework but it's so worth it! Even a 2 year old understands what the word 'strong' means. Eat something and tell him/her that it will help make them strong and show them your muscles. Do whatever it takes. lol
Keep the processed junk out of the house. Trust me, they get enough of it elsewhere.
As for keeping them well, a multi-vitamin can't hurt and hand washing often is a must.
Enjoy those little ones, make healthy, active memories together as a family and remember that teaching them good eating/exercise habits is a VERY, VERY important part of raising them!

zacoli

I have 3 children. Ever since they were babies I made sure everything they put in there mouths was healthy. I made their baby purees and would only give them healthy choices. They know how to eat healthy(thank god).I was kinda obsessed because I wasn't taught what was good to eat.I grew up on diet coke. I have trouble drinking water, eating fruit and veggies.So I promised myself I would not do this to my kids.They have only heathy choices for snacks(sugar free fruit sauce,fresh fruit or yogurt).We do have junk food but it's movie night. I make homemade pizza, serve it with a serving of chips,fruit/veggie platter and popcorn without butter. Every week my daughter whines when we don't buy enough fruit and veggies. My daughter is a healthy weight, my 2 sons are not but they are not fat they just look like football players. My kids are 11(boy) 8(girl) 3(boy).....They only drink water or milk.They have a real fruit juice box for lunch at school. When the weather is nice I am at the park for at least an hour. My son plays hockey and baseball, and the 2 youngest do dance classes. Next year the 3 yr will also play hockey.
I believe it's the parents responsibility to teach our kids to eat healthy.That it's ok to eat junk but in moderation.

auzziecawth66

I've got two of the pickiest eaters (the older one is starting to grow out of it a bit now). Even though I made baby food myself I have a hard time getting them to eat anything healthy. Especially the little one, its hard trying to teach them healthy habits when he turns up his nose at everything says ewe gross and refuses to eat it ... *sigh*. Trying to find new ways to sneak veggies and even meat in such a way he will eat it but running out of ideas, won't stop trying though!!

Francl27

It took us 4 years to get them to eat veggies! And we bribe with dessert (trying to make it small though).

I don't believe in giving them healthy food all the time though - don't want them to piggy out on all the stuff they've missed when they are older.

TrishLG

They did healthy month at school. Now my 5yo know what's healthy and what isn't.

We try to limit the junk we give. We have healthy dinners. The worst snacks in our house are goldfish and sometimes cookies (oatmeal). I try to push fruit instead (which they love). We switched to low sugar cereal. When they start kindergarten we'll walk there (20 minutes). I still take them to McDonald's once a week though.

Watch the dyes in cereals and snacks. They are worse than the sugar. Also watch the chemicals.

PurpleTina

We were lucky enough as a family to take part in a publicly funded Family Health Challenge a couple of years ago, as our kids were of qualifying age and we had concerns about one of them in particular and her weight. It was great for us all to take part in activities like shopping (being label detectives), and cooking together, as well as trying out new exercise ideas. I truly believe that we can only lead by example.

Two years on and we are all healthy and active, making better food choices, and the daughter we were concerned about plays underwater hockey and goes to the gym twice a week. Oh, and next week we are taking part in a mountain navigation challenge of 10 miles, at her instigation!

We do still eat 'less healthy' food sometimes, as I do not feel that deprivation is a good thing, but these are now informed choices, rather than just mindless stuffing of our faces.

veggiehottie

I totally agree and have always tried to feed my son the healthiest foods, and get him out exercising with me when we have time. I am proud to say we have not visited a McDonalds for over 4 years.

It gets harder as they get older, though. My son is 9 and for the last year or so has been embarrassed of the healthy school lunches I pack for him. He won't eat hardboiled eggs at school anymore because a kid made fun of them. (He LOVES them at home.) and he asks why I won't pack him the junk that every other kid seems to have. His best friend brings Oreos AND Doritos to school almost every day... And I get asked all the time why I won't do the same.

I start to wonder if I go too far in this? My own parents NEVER let me have junk growing up... I was the kid at school who had to bring rice cakes... And this was long before all the flavored ones... Lol... And sometimes I wonder if that was one of the reasons I later had obesity and binge eating issues.

Queen_JessieA

We have NEVER had a clean plate rule, but we do implement a "you have to try a bite of everything" rule. I want my kids to try things that they would not normally like. We have followed this with all three kids and 2 of the 3 will eat anything you put in front of them. My oldest is not big on meat. She doesn't like the texture. But they will all eat veggies of any sort ~ our faves are broccoli and brussels sprouts

I just want them to understand that there are different ways to try different things. Just because I hate raw or steamed cauliflower doesn't mean I don't like it mashed as a mashed potato substitute or in potato soup as an "extender".

ETA: my kids are 13, 10 and 7.

I have been trying really hard to keep sweet stuffs out of the house. That is where we struggle

kapoorpk

Thank you fellow parents..a ton of very good practical advice and years of wisdom!! I greatly appreciate you sharing!!

kmm7309

I only have my step sons every other weekend, which sucks. When they are with their mother, they live off frozen foods and junk. But when they are at my house, we go for a walk every night as a family and we play tennis and badminton outside in the summer (even though they are 15&16).

I try to home cook all of our meals during the weekend. I hide vegetables everywhere in my cooking. I hide carrots and spinach and broccoli and tomatoes in everything. I try to frequently cook a vegetable as a side and convince them to try it. My oldest now likes cooked spinach because of that. I always cook breakfast at least once during the weekend.

It's difficult to undo the diet they have with their mother, but I hope that one day they'll come to me for recipes because their mother can't cook!

MelanieBrainerd

LOVE this topic! I was the FAT kid my entire life and at 45 I am finally getting a handle on life long change!! So I want to teach my kids NOW what eating CLEAN means and building a healthy FIT lifestyle everyday!! I honestly believe GOD brought ViSalus and the 90 Day Challenge into my life - its been a blessings! 2 simple shakes a day - 2 healthy snacks - 1 healthy meal - its FAST and easy for me!! So I'm down 35 lbs and going for 15 more!! The BEST part - is I give my kids a shake a day too - they get FULL spectrum protein-based nutrition - all in a Snickers Shake. Or Butterfinger Vi-shake. So I'm feeding my kids GOOD stuff - now we get FREE shakes so its like feeding my kids for FREE - they are learning to make healthy choices and my son (age 8 he's already 100 lbs) is losing weight!! This family is making great changes and I feel like a "Hero Mom" ... all because of a simple shake!!

devil_in_a_blue_dress

You know, we let our daughter (3) eat junk (I don't keep much in my house, but grandma does at her's) -- but I try very hard to provide her balanced meal and encourage activity. She works out (mostly dances around) with me and her dad and she is very good about eating fruit and veggies, so I am totally fine with a candy bar or cupcake.

I also try to model a healthy relationship with body I think not talking about how fat you are or how you wish your body was different in front of your children is just as important. We're aware of diet and exercise and it's important but we careful not to get carried away because so many other factor go into health aside from weight.

runzalot81

My little boy loves fitness. He wants to be strong like Mommy

However, it is very difficult to get him to eat healthy food. He loves fruit and meat but corn is the only vegetable he'll eat. I introduce a little bit here and there but it's a struggle. He told me he'll eat vegetables when he's grown up :huh:

MorganLeighRN

My 8 y/o is a great eater! He used to be soooo picky and it drove me and my husband nuts. Now this kid eats veggies like nobody's business! They are usually the first thing to be eaten on his plate and he always asks for 2nds and sometimes 3rds. At restaurants he will choose fruit over fries every time! Don't get me wrong, we do allow him to have pizza, ice cream, burgers etc. but not all the time. He loves to run and play basketball and is allowed to play the Wii when all of his homework and chores are done.

DawnieB1977

I have 2 kids - a son who will be 4 in June and a daughter who'll be 2 in May. They're both very different, and my son has always eaten very little and had to be bribed to eat, and my daughter is the complete opposite and will run down the hallway in excitement when I tell her dinner is ready.

I weaned them both at 6 months, and i've always made their food myself. The only time my son had food from jars was when my MIL bought it, and my daughter has never once had food from a jar.

They naturally seem to like healthy food and I guess they just learn from seeing us eat. We always cook from scratch. My son seems to really like things like eggs, chicken, tuna...protein. They both like fruit, and my daughter will eat pretty much anything you put in front of her. They've never been to Mcdonalds/KFC etc. I don't make separate meals for them, they just have what we do.

They always stop eating when they're full and I never force them to finish their meal if they can't.

Of course they have unhealthy things from time to time. They like crisps, but I usually buy Walkers Baked ones, or the Organix ones. Occasionally they have biscuits. And from time to time they get a bit of chocolate. I just buy something like chocolate discs, and they get 1 or 2. I'd never give them a whole chocolate bar. Usually we prefer to bake our own treats, like little cakes or something.

They both love exercise. We live by the sea and we take them out on their scooters a lot on the promenade. We go out every day i'm not at work (i work part time). My son does gymnastics lessons.

hadlam83

I agree with OP wholrheartedly. I am lucky my children are 3 years od and 5 months as they are still at an age where they are establishing their likes and dislikes. Since joinin MFP my son ha had a very "monkey see, monkey do" approach.

Since starting with MFP we have fresh fruit and veg in the house which he loves to snack on now, coz its what I now turn to first when i'm hungry between my main meals. We now sit at the table to eat dinner which 90% of the time is packed full of veggies and he eats most of it. He also loves helping to prepare dinner, and choose veggies from our newly put in veggie garden.

On our days off together we regularly go for a walk to the local playground or for the occasional treat to Mc D's rather than drive. He even likes to do the 30 DS with me But i think the best thing that has come out of MFP and the changes that have affected my kids, is I play WITH them. Not sit and watch!!!!!!

Al this is what inspires me to keep going!!

Helen

Shellbug75

I have a 5 year old that is super picky and does not like to try new things and a 16 year old that will eat just about anything. I know that I am to blame for my kid's eating habbits and I am trying to change that now. My 5 year old used to love fruit and veggies until he was about 3....then he didn't want anymore. It was easier at the time just to give him what he wanted. Which I know was a HUGE mistake. So I am slowly introducing those healthy foods back into his life. He is now loving bananas, apples, and grapes. I am still having a hard time with the veggies though. I make sure he gets them in his spaghetti sauce.

I will continue to get my kids eating healthier since I am the one who dropped the ball. But hey, we as parents make mistakes. So I won't beat myself up over it.

stacey_mntx

Well said!! The most important thing we can do as parents is to lead by example. Children are little sponges and they soak up everything around them. If mom and dad are healthy and active, so too will be our kiddos!

hdlb

We have 3 kids. 10, 5 and 3. Food is a huge thing in our house, since we all have allergies. 3 of the 5 of us are 100% gluten free (I have Celiacs, and my 3 year old son most likely does as well. My 10 year old can tolerate only very small amounts) We are also dairy, corn, soy, tree nut and peanut free. Everthing has to be cooked by us and we have to know exactly what is in everything. All our kids have a night each week that they are in charge of planning a cooking a meal, even the 3 year old. (with help of course) They will know how to cook when they leave our house. And we try not to make food the center of anything. Parties, family functions etc. are not planned around food, they are planned around the people we are going to see, and the things we are going to do. Food is an after-thought.

We do not force a clean plate, and we do not force the kids to try things if they don't want too. Our 5 year will not eat veggies, and thats fine. She'll pick them up now and sniff them, which is something she wouldn't do a year ago. Eventually she might take a bite lol. She does have to have them on her plate.

We have snacks, but they aren't terribly exciting. Rice cakes and crackers, fruit and veggies, pepperoni sticks, hard boiled eggs. My kids will be the odd ones that have that stuff in their lunches because there are not a ton of other options, and they really don't care. The only one who even knows there is a different way of eating is my 10 year old, and she would pick spinach over a cookie any day. They have never had lucky charms, pop tarts or lunchables, and never will under our roof.

And they are active. During the summer we go to the park every day, we ride bikes, hike, jump on the trampoline etc. During the winter we are less active (very cold here) but they don't sit in front of the tv either. And they all have their own little weights so they can do that along with me if they want.

Some of the best knowledge we can pass along to them is how to cook, what to eat and how to stay active. If they decide to use that info is up to them.

robot_potato

We teach our kids about portions and healthy eating, and why things are good or bad for you.
The 8 year old is good about reading ingredients on prepackaged things, and will pick out the fruit snacks that are actually made of fruit instead of sugar and artificial goop, and also reading portion sizes and getting correct serving sizes. She will eat anything except bell peppers. They have both developed a love for veggies, fruits were never a problem. We tell them that just because they don't like something one way, doesn't mean they won't like it another way.
My 4 year old will eat raw bell pepper, but not cooked, and he will eat an endless supply of steamed broccoli and carrots, but he won't touch them raw.
Exercise is not an issue, my children are of the never stay still variety. In the warmer months we bike ride or hike a few times a week, and we bring our bikes and plan hikes and swimming when we are camping as well. They play outside daily, the 8 year old does dance and floor hockey's, and the 4 year old is in t-ball.
When I am doing my workouts they like to join in, my boy takes an unweighted dumbbell and copies my barbell work, and my girl loves jumping rope and hula hooping with me.

kapoorpk

Thanks again, fellow parents. Very helpful experiences.

melsy78

I must admit that I am not as conscious of their healthy eating as I should be, however we don't normally have lollies, or chips, or soft drinks in the house. I do a lot of home baking (which is not necessarily the healthiest but it means I know they are eating actual food and not whatever it is that compaines put in their cookies and cakes!)
We do have a lot of fruit and at dinner we all eat the same food, they HAVE to at least try it, if they don't like it they normally also have raw carrot, cucumber and some cheese on their plates to eat.
I have 3 boys - 8, 4 and 19 months.
We probably have takeaways about once a fortnight now rather than the 3 or 4 times we used to! (We are trying to be healthier AND save money!)

And we do try to play outside a lot more, lots of running games and bike and scooter riding.

Confuzzled4ever

My child eat a large variety of food. Kids need more then adults, more of everything. My son eat what I do, and then he eats hot pockets and totinos and buffalo strips and cookies. He sighs every night for dinner because of the amount of veggies on his plate, but then he gets a cookie or cereal or chocolate milk if he wants it. he *does* like most of the veggies, as evidenced by his second and third helping he generally takes.

I think it's extremely important to teach kids that 2 cookies is find, the entire box is not and the *real* reason behind it.. not just mommy said so. I'm attempting to teach my son to cook.. he's slowly coming along.. I want him to know the difference between a healthy plate of food and an unhealthy one.

i'm not an advocate of "hide the veggies" I put them on his plate and expect him to eat them. All of them.. and it's quite a bit.. but my son is a big kid. (bigger then me at 13!! (not fat very skinny)) I want him to learn proper eating so he doesn't follow the footsteps of my dad, his dad or my brother.

melsy78

i'm not an advocate of "hide the veggies" I put them on his plate and expect him to eat them.

Yes!!!
If they ask what is in something (like a casserole, etc) I will tell them exactly what is in it, even if it is something they claim not to like

Conniekui

I have a two year old and so far we are doing good. From the beginning we kept junk food away from her and did not eat it around her. She's had the occasional cookie and cupcake/ chocolate but it's rare. I think what has helped us is that my husband and I don't drink soda or juice so there's none in the house ever. She's gotten used to water and asks for it. Her other drink is whole organic milk. She's also gotten used to fruits as a go to snack because we've been offering that from the beginning. For veggies she likes sweet potatoes and squash.

I also find the sectional plates have helped me a lot in making a decision on what to serve, and helped her in separating the food into small sections. For example, a chicken wrap will be divided into a section of chicken, shredded cheese, diced apple and cut up whole grain wrap with a cup of water on the side. She'll eat everything that way as opposed to wrapping the ingredients together.

I got inspired by Candace Bure (DJ from full house) after reading an article about her. She mentioned that she started her kids early with veggies and fruit and they learned to love them without a struggle. The idea is to introduce the wholesome foods at the start and keep away junk. Teach them to have a treat occasionally and as they understand more explain why the treat is not a daily thing.

Other tips I use is getting to know how the little one likes her/ his food. For example, she does not like jelly with peanut butter together. Only the peanut butter on bread. Also sometimes they go through phases of liking something then refusing it. My daughter does this with bananas and cuties. The times she refuses them we move on to another food and she'll eat them again on her own will. Presentation and shapes also helps. I use cookie cutters to shape toast, wraps etc. It makes it fun for them. Leading by example does help as well. I couldn't believe it when my little one was munching on baby spinach! It's because it's been my daily side dish and she's copying me. I was so excited I called my husband right away, lol:)

Conniekui

Wanted to add, don't hide veggies. Just offer them plainly and that way they know what it is and how it tastes. Encourage them to eat the veggies and they get used to them. My daughter has been eating beans and peas and all I did was put them on her plate.