Parents may mistakenly view their children’s nutritional needs as those of a ‘mini-adult’. Taking good care of yourself, by eating to support your body’s needs and health, and moving for fun and having a strong self image, demonstrates a healthy foundation and models ways children can take care of themselves now and as they enter adulthood. This is especially true for younger kids. One thing we must keep in mind is that children model what parents do. Top that off with our culture’s phobia of fat and the pressures to be thin, and its no wonder we find it difficult to eat and be active in a supportive way. High calorie foods are readily available and affordable, advertisers pique children’s and our interest in foods that are typically not nutritionally dense, and budget cuts make physical education and after school activities a thing of the past. Families are busy making it difficult finding time to shop, cook and be active.Īnother factor contributing to the problem of taking care of ourselves, is the ‘toxic’ environment we live in. There is so much information about nutrition and health flying around us that it is difficult to determine what is sound advice, what is hype, and what applies to children. Parents want to feed their kids well, but not be so hyper-focused on food and weight that disordered eating develops. When it comes to feeding kids, many parents are at a loss.
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