This post is sponsored by Nuffnang
I have recently been thinking about the importance of sensitivity when it comes to talking to children about making healthy lifestyle choices, especially talking about nutrition and exercise. The fact that very young children are becoming so very aware about body image worries me. Just this week I saw a Twitter tweet about a healthy six-year-old girl concerned about being fat. Is it just me that feels children are growing up too fast? That concerns about body image should honestly not be the concerns of childhood?
I believe that as parents it is good to want our children to grow up to be healthy and to make healthy choices but it is important that we find ways to share positive messages about the benefits of exercise and good nutrition without making it about weight and physical appearance. After all, increasing activity levels and eating well impacts our bodies positively in many ways – including being good for our mental state, energy levels and emotional sense of wellbeing.
For young children good health should equate to having good fun. It should be about family time – getting outdoors, being active, learning about where food comes from, cooking and eating together. After all, children learn by watching and listening to what we, the significant adults in their lives, say and do. We are the example they will follow and it is not so much about us telling them about being healthy but being an example for good health through healthy lifestyle choices.
About Tetra Pak Kids
If you are looking for ideas about ways to involve your children in fun physical activity or for healthy snack and lunch box ideas Tetra Pak have recently launched a new website, tetrapakkids.com.au. Featuring video posts by football hero Wendall Sailor and recipe suggestions by celebrity chef Darren Simpson, Tetra Pak Kids presents fun ways to get kids active and teach them about healthy eating.
When I was perusing the recipe section of the site Immy immediately spotted the Frozen Yoghurt Ice Blocks and asked to make some. Frozen berries are a big hit at our house at the moment and I love that these ice blocks are so simple to make. Simple enough for a three year old even!
1 – yoghurt, 2 – berries, 3 – honey, then give it a whiz in a blender or with a stick blender. Pour into ice block moulds and then pop them into the freezer. The hardest part is waiting for them to freeze 🙂
Needless to say, judging the rate that the first ice block was inhaled, they taste pretty good! I am always looking for new snack ideas, especially for morning and afternoon tea and I think these may become a regular fixture.
For readers based in Sydney, Tetra Pak Kids are running a series of free family friendly events in and around the metropolitan area during April. Wendell Sailor will present a circuit of child-friendly exercises that will help improve your child’s balance, strength and coordination, whilst keeping them fit and healthy. Darren Simpson will also be at the events sharing quick and simple healthy lunch box/snack ideas. Full details of each event can be found at the Tetra Pak Kids website.
How do you endeavour to be a healthy example for your children?
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Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that we should be a healthy example. Both me and my husband are trying to make healthy choices while cooking. We cook from scratch most of days, and we also stay active. Once daughter is older, I would like her to play sports too. For now she is going to swim classes, since we consider swimming a life skill.
This is a big problem in our house, and little Miss is only 4. A lot of it is because I am trying to lose weight, but I do try to use the words “healthy” and “not healthy” instead of “thin” and “fat”, and I think at least THAT message is getting through.
Still, it doesn’t help that she sees me weigh myself on the Wii Fit and it lets you know that you are overweight. She has weighed herself and stood there begging “do’t be fat, don’t be fat”, which at her age is ridiculous. Now I try to weigh myself before she gets up and skip over that part when playing the game.
I do have to commend Nintendo though for making computer games active. The Wii Fit package is to difficult for little ones, and we see a lot of frustration in our house because of it, BUT I think the Easter Bunny will be bringing a copy of the Kids Fit game which features Dora and Diego (it’s made in conjunction with Nick Jnr) to our house as someone doesn’t eat chocolate (we still have last years eggs in the fridge!).
You might find some helpful information in this post by Julie of Beautiful You, Amanda https://childhood101.com/2009/12/everyday-glamour-the-most-important-post/
Thanks, Christie, will have a look tomorrow when my eyes aren’t falling out of my head 🙂
Christie I couldn’t agree with u more! As someone who’s had numerous eating disorders (praise God I am better now) it breaks my heart to hear little children concerned about their weight or appearance. Us mums have to be very careful not to model self- dissatisfaction- complaining about our weight or appearance , wrinkles or even clothes. When we do this we are teaching our children to do the same- critically focus on their outward appearance which doesn’t lead to happiness or good self-esteem. Let us, rather, teach our children about and model healthy choices which is an act of self-love rather than self-criticism.
I have also been concerned about this at my house, I have recently gone through a weight loss (not much just 10kg to get to a more healthy weight range) but I was very conscious of what my daughter (4yo) was seeing. I used healthy eating a lot and never said I was fat I just said that mummy is trying to look after herself a bit better because her and her brother are so fast and busy I need to keep up. I have recently done a food pyramid with her, she loved it we went through catalogues and cut out each category I wrote how many serves she should be having each day to be in the best of health. Now she goes to the cupboard and asks for ‘sometimes’ food or even says, we have already had sometimes food I think I should have a banana I havent had any fruit yet. Im hoping I dont make my kids over sensitive about what they eat but felt that my 4 year old was starting to want just chips and biscuits because they were easy even though she loves fruit and veg.
You might find some useful tips in this post by Julie of Beautiful You, Georgina – https://childhood101.com/2009/12/everyday-glamour-the-most-important-post/
I hide in the pantry to eat chocolate biscuits so the kids dont see.
My kids are highly sensertive to all types of additives and colours etc so we dont much much sometimes food in the house. And I have noticed in myself, these days if I eat anything fried or with additivies I gat headaches and feel shocking.
Sorry about the spelling etc but it seems I cant type with a head cold
This is a fine line for me, obesity is a huge problem in the US and well I don’t want myself or my family to fall into its trap. I grew up with a mom that was very vain, and that is hard on a child. I wasn’t taught how to eat healthy, basically eat what you want whenever. I was active at least. I was never fat but thought I was because I’ve had a Dr, sister and even my mom tell me so. I struggled with this and an eating disorder was formed all through middle and high school. I also have depression. I have been in therapy and have since learned what’s healthy. I love to cook, and bake and run. I don’t “diet” just use moderation. Eating is something I celebrate and its a way to bring us together. My husband and I will be getting bikes so we can bike together as a family. I will never tell my girls they are fat. Instead I want to instill healthy habits that they can use for a lifetime and make sure they know they are the most precious and beautiful girls in the world.
Thanks for sharing some information about the work we are doing to help Aussie parents keep their kids fit and healthy.
I am glad Immy liked the yogurt blocks. We are quite partial to them ourselves. 🙂
If only we were in Sydney, would love to have joined in the activities 🙂
We would have loved to have you join in too. 🙁 Maybe in the future we will be doing more events outside of Sydney.
This is great article, thank you!