The Biggest Parenting Fail in America Today
The moment we look into our child’s eyes for the first time, we see a whole new world open up before us. The roads, detours, and dead ends that our child will face as they grow up. We worry if they will make friends and if they will be a good influence. We worry about their education and if we are choosing the right path in who teaches them about what. We worry about their interests and if we are pushing them too hard or not enough as they try new things and strive for excellence.
As good parents we want the best for our child so we provide them with things and opportunities we didn’t have growing up. Many times this can go too far down the extreme path, as parents are providing more expensive clothes, electronics, and uncensored access to the internet world. But today is not about those things. Today we are focusing on one area that the majority of Americans are failing their children. This area affects their child’s health, mental stability, confidence, ability to do different activities, and sets them on a course in their life that is weighted down with bad habits. What could possibly affect all of these things? Food & Drinks.
Any person paying attention can see the changes in our society over even just the last 40 years. The average American back then was thin and fit. Aging wasn’t synonymous with becoming overweight. There are a few changing factors, but the main one is the food supply. Over the last 40-50 years companies have drastically changed their ingredients list. The item looks the same and may even taste the same but it is very different. More fillers, food coloring, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives have turned these foods into toxic concoctions. Tasty, but very toxic.
When we mix that with the increase in static activities such as gaming, watching tv, and electric bikes/scooters this is a recipe for obese kids. We have 4-9 year olds that weigh as much as a healthy lean teen. Many children are easily 25-50 lbs overweight. This affect on their young growing bodies is putting extra strain on their organs. We may hear parents say, “I can’t get my kid to eat anything healthy, he just wants his drive through kids meal”. Kids are natural mirrors of their environment. What is talked about and emphasized is what they adopt as their own beliefs.
The real issue behind those parents excuses is that they know kids are smart. Telling our kids the importance of taking care of our bodies, choosing healthy foods and cutting out the processed foods/sugary drinks will only go so far. If they see us not practicing what we preach then it will of course not stick. Getting kids to eat healthy is simple. We buy their food, we pack their lunches, we cook their meals. We decide what rules they will follow and what consequences there will be when they are not. How can food be any different?
Just as it is important to brush their teeth, keep up with their hygiene and be educated, it is even more important to require them to eat a healthy balanced diet. We all come out of the womb a blank slate; no preset food favorites or dislikes. These are all learned behaviors by what the parent does and allows. A child may not like what is in front of them, but being required to try new foods and eat a minimum amount of the healthy choices in front of them is no different then being required to learn to feed themselves and use the bathroom independently. A hungry kid is not a picky kid. If they know their parent will cave an hour later and give them their 4th snack before the next meal, then there is no reason for them to fill up at each meal.
Any person who has been fit and overweight knows 100% that life’s activities and daily routines are harder when you are overweight. Brain fog, trouble breathing, energy levels, and the ability to move quickly and freely all impact their enjoyment of the small things. As with anything, choosing healthier habits is going to feel like an uphill climb. The sad truth is our kids have a long path ahead of them, trying to rewire their thinking and actions as they lead a healthier lifestyle. Making these changes as a family will encourage everyone to lean on each other during the hard times and celebrate every small win.
We don’t have to tell our kids they are fat. Instead we can say “We only get one body. We need to treat it the best we can by eating healthy and exercising.” When kids get involved in finding healthy recipes, drinking more water, and choosing fun active activities for the whole family to enjoy, it makes the new “lifestyle” easier to stick to. Our bodies health is the foundation for every success of our life. What better gift can we give our family.