Teaching Children to Eat Right

Letting children make their own choices is a good short term solution, but it has long term repercussions.

Take the case of Anasuya Bannerjee, an art director in a Kokatta based advertising agency. “I always wanted my six year old son to have a balanced diet. But after 10 hours at the office combined with two hours of travel, I simply do not have the energy to deal with his temper tantrums caused by me refusing him a packet of french fries. I still resist, but not that often. Most of the time, he gets his way,” she says.

While that worked well for a while, Siddhanth, Anasuya’s son, became slow and lethargic over a period. Outdoor activities normal for his age make him breathless now and he prefers to watch TV to playing. Now, she has pulled the reins and is strict about enforcing rules on food and eating.

Many people are in the same predicament. Let’s face it, we cannot afford to go easy on this subject, because if we do, our children will suffer. That said, how can good eating habits be inculcated?

1. Lead by Example
Children copy their elders, especially their parents in almost everything. People for whom exercise is important are likely to have more active children and people who binge on rich, oily junk food are likely to pass on the inclination to their children.

No amount of coaxing, cajoling or scolding will work if you are setting the wrong example for your children. Be the change you want to see.

2. Explain the Rationale
When you lay rules, you also need to explain their rationale. Explain to your children why the right food is important for them. Make them aware enough to make healthy choices. Encourage them to have whole grains, fruits and vegetables by listing their merits.

Children are intelligent and curious. They cannot be expected to obey commands without knowing why they are doing it. Even if they do stick to in front of you, most would do what they please the moment your back is turned. So tell them how they stand to gain.

3. Cook Good Food Yourself
You know good food is important. You know a diet rich in fat will harden your child’s arteries. But if you still are in the habit of using generous amounts of oil while cooking, it would defeat the purpose.

Children develop a taste for whatever is fed to them in their formative years. So take special care of what you serve at home.

4. Maintain a Proper Schedule
Eating on time is very important for good health and it is up to you to make the family, most importantly the children, stick to a schedule.

Breakfast happens to be the most important meal of the day. It is also the most easily missed. Watch out for the tendency to skip breakfast and hog later.

5. Discourage Eating While Watching TV
Eating while watching TV is unhealthy as one tends to eat more without enjoying the food. Strongly discourage the practice. Serve food only on the dining table.

6. Make Mealtime Pleasant
Ensure that mealtimes are peppered with camaraderie, good humour and togetherness. Not only will this lead to greater bonding in the family but will also encourage children to come to the dining table without being forced into it.

7. Improvise
Being perpetually short of time, it is important to make efforts to get some quick, healthy recipes for the kids’ lunch and tiffin.

It is vital to prevent them from getting bored with repetitive or bland fare. That would make them take to junk food again. Get some magazines, low fat healthy cook books and try innovative recipes.

8. Read Food Labels Carefully
While shopping, be cautious of kids getting attracted to nicely packaged food with high sugar content. Read labels very carefully and make intelligent choices, all the while communicating your reasons to your children, of course.

9. Let Them Indulge at Times
Take care not to be too inflexible, because it may trigger a backlash. Once a week, treat your children to what they want. This way, they won’t feel the need to binge behind your back. It will also take care of occasional cravings.