Faddy Eaters
I am really concerned about the lack of good nutrition consumed by our children today, and that even includes my own grandchildren, in spite of my tumultuous efforts to get them to eat healthy.
The sugar crisis has been highlighted for some time but the dilemma isn’t just too much sugar, it’s the lack of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that our children are missing in their diet.
You know one of my favourite expressions is, ‘train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ It’s actually a quote from the Bible – Proverbs 22.6 – for those of you who didn’t know. And what words of wisdom these truly are for teaching and guidance in ALL aspects of education, whether it be manners, behaviour or nutrition.
I smile when my youngest granddaughter says, ‘do we have to have a healthy choice nanny?’ And my elder granddaughter is quick to remind me that if she has eaten one small helping of fruit or veg she has had her quota. No, I don’t think so! Whatever happened to our five per day?
I have recently stayed in a hotel on the coast, and as always love to people watch. On this occasion at breakfast when about 40 school children all drifted in. Hum! Nothing healthy about their choices. I have never understood why anyone wants to start the day with a plate full of sugary cakes, and certainly allow the children in their company to do so.
Mentioning cake, yes kids will always eat it. And my cake went down very well when I commissioned another Rianbo cake for a recent party. That’s fine, we all need those special treats but not for breakfast and several times per day.
Travelling with one of my granddaughters for a full week last month, I realised what a struggle it was to get her to eat healthy. By the end of the week I was stressed! Do we give in because they have to eat something or let them go hungry? What a dilemma!
And why are our school children allowed, or even offered a tuna sandwich for school lunch when the state system should be encouraging fruit and veg?
Why do we still buy coke and other fizzy drinks when we know that it is doing harm to the body? Actually that’s one thing I don’t succumb to. No child will drink Coca-Cola in my company if I’m paying and have the ability to control the situation.
I just found an interesting article by chance in the Telegraph newspaper, Tuesday 1st May.
Quote
“If you care about your heart, health and mind then please remember this article next time you reach for that bottle of fizzy pop.”
Are we mad?
So that leads me to question the combination of cake and fizzy drinks.
Yes it’s us to blame. If we taught our children well in their early years and set a good example ourselves, we wouldn’t be heading for the health disaster which faces us in the next few years.
Oh I am doom and gloom today but it’s true isn’t it?
We all need to be firmer with what we allow our children to consume and advocate more healthy choices.
Chat soon.
Anna
