Forming a Habit of Health in Children - Why our Example Matters

The grand sugar fest is over. How did you do? Do you still have buckets of candy staring you in the face?  Did you finish it all off in one night? Did you throw it all away?  I left out 1/3 of my kid's candy.  I hid 2/3.  They haven't figured it out yet.  I think it's possible that they don't realize that they have anymore.  That's fine with me.  I'll pull it out to decorate some gingerbread houses. 

I love that my kids don't seem concerned about the candy.  I like candy for a little while, but then tire of it.  I threw out the last of the Easter candy the day before Halloween.  Don't worry, chocolate doesn't last, but jelly beans and hard candy always sits and eventually hits the trash.  That's probably why my kids aren't having a fit.  They know it's here somewhere.  If they want it they'll ask.  It's theirs, I will give it to them.  However, out-of-sight-out-of-mind.  They should really want a piece.  It should be a conscious decision.  And they should have an apple first.  ;)

I was listening to one of my young ones as she played with a friend.  They were playing that they were going to the store.  Here is the conversation they had:

1) Let's go to the store.
2) Let's have some food first.
3) We'll get food at the store.
4) No, if we don't have food first, we'll get to the store and be like, "I'm hungry, I'm hungry. I want this and I want that."


Funny conversation.  Funny and instructional.  My child has learned from me to eat before going to the store, but I have never said it to her.  I have said to my children, "let's have a quick lunch. I don't want to go shopping hungry."  That is a good lesson.  --- The lesson is for me.  My children are watching me.  They will mimic my eating behaviors.  Whether I want them to or not.  I cannot say, "do as I say, not as I do." It won't work.


My husband and I both had mothers that fed us wheat bread, rather than white bread.  I thought Wonder Bread, was the best thing since, well, sliced bread.  But my mom wouldn't buy it.  :(  But actually, it was a great thing that she did for me.  Both my husband and I prefer whole wheat bread.  Given a choice, we both automatically reach for the wheat version of any dinner roll or bread.  It is habit.  A habit that was formed in our childhoods.  (Thank you mom!)

If my kids see me eat junk, they will eat junk.  It is that simple.  I have been eating a lot of apples lately.  (I bought some locally and I live next to some pretty groovy orchards, so they are fabulous.)  I've noticed that my son reaches for an apple every time he needs something quick.  I'm pretty sure it helps that I haven't bought chips or crackers or other junk in a while.  But like my mom, who refused to buy white Wonder bread, I am instilling better habits in my child. 

I suppose that when it's hard for me to stick to a healthy diet, it might be wise to remember that someone is watching.  It is not only my health that could suffer, it is my child's.  Wow!  That is some powerful motivation!