by Mischa
As moms, we want the absolute best for our children. We have a list of “dos” and “don'ts” that we vow to stand on.
One of my “dos” was healthy eating habits for my children. Before I became a mom, I would cringe at moms feeding their children chips, soda, or candy. I was thinking, “I would never” with my nose turned up.
After becoming a mom, I quickly understood the struggle of raising children. Children are just little humans. Think about how we may cringe at healthy food ourselves! Humans want what tastes good, not what is good for us. After fighting for years to get my first four sons to eat healthier foods, I realized that my forceful behavior was a losing battle.
Lead by Example!
As a child, I loved healthy food, so this was not hard for me. I was probably the only child my mom had who actually loved fruit and vegetables. I enjoyed all varieties.
Looking back, I remember my aunt who loved eating healthy. She was my example as a child because she would eat so many different veggies and fruit. I remember my first time trying raw tomatoes while watching a movie with her. It was the best, and I still eat raw tomatoes to this day.
Moving forward, it finally clicked when I was trying to introduce my 5 year old son to healthier eating. I would make a healthy snack for family movie night. He would always look over and watch me eat. Eventually, he’d be reaching over grabbing a handful of fruit to eat. I laughed because I remembered struggling to get my first four children to eat healthy.
Now I have learned that my example is the biggest part of my children’s success. Our children trust us more than we think.
It’s not a good idea to force them to eat healthy foods. Some children will only hate the foods you are trying to introduce. This may cause them to turn away forever, remembering the horrific event of mom yelling at them to eat their green beans. I had many years of bad eating habits that I allowed my children to witness.
Then I started to take my own health seriously. I made sure I drank water and green smoothies, and added more healthier choices to my diet. To top it off, my teenage sons, as well as my toddler, began trying new things.
They began drinking more water and even drinking the green smoothies I would make. Now my fruits and vegetables barely last two days in my fridge. It took many trials and errors, but I finally realized what an important role our example plays in our children’s lives. Just remember it starts with you.
This blog was written by one of our guest bloggers, Mischa.
About Mischa. . .
My name is Mischa; however, I go by Mischa Rashann (Rashann just being my middle name). I am a divorced mom, and I reside in Iowa raising 5 sons. I also attend the University of Northern Iowa where I am pursuing my Bachelors Degree in Accounting. I am an author, and I wrote my first book entitled “CHOOSING YOU” sold online at Amazon.
Want more information on this topic? wichealth.org has a free online lesson called Help Your Child Develop Healthy Eating Habits. Find it on wichealth.org in the Feeding Your 2 to 5-Year-Old category!
