If you’ve got a television, then there’s a good chance that you’ve got at least one of your kids planted right in front of it. Most parents may not realize it until it’s too late, but one reason kids in America are overweight is because of the way they live their lives. But you can’t go off and blame them, simply because you as the parents are a part of the issue as well. But have no worries, there are simple ways to change all of that, and help get your children back on track of eating and living well.
It starts with what they eat, as it always does. Do your kids pack their own lunches, or do they buy the calorie packed lunches from their school’s cafeteria? (Let’s face it, you know they’re out buying plates of French fries and cheeseburgers and pretty often.) Though you might chalk it up to their laziness, you might want to take a peek in your cupboards just to make sure you’ve got the essential materials for them to make a decent lunch. If you’re not stocking fresh bread, veggies, deli meats, and healthy snack like pretzels and mixed nuts, how do you expect them to make a good lunch. One way to ramify this error is to make sure the materials are there, then simply let them know that you’re limiting the amount of money you’re going to give them for lunch, and that way they’ll need to pack their own lunches.
The other thing you need to think about is that box of flashing lights in your living room, or worse, in their rooms. America’s teens are wasting far too much time playing videogames and watching regular programs in lieu of going outside and running amok out there, with their friends out taking walks or any number of activities. Not only will it help them physically, but it’ll boost them socially as well, (and we all know one of the end game goals is getting them out of the house.)
Now, here’s the part you might not expect, but if you want to see change in your kids, then you’ve gotta start by working it in your life. Think about it, when was the last time your kids actually listened to what you told them or said to them? It’s the same with most kids, in one ear and out the other. But if you start the change, it’ll rub off on them. Think, if you’re cooking dinners instead of eating out, what do you expect them to do? Kids are cheap, they won’t be willing to run out and spend what little cash they do have. You’ll fin more often than not that if you set the table, place a delicious bowl of spaghetti, with nice garlic bread, steamed veggies, and a nice tall glass of water, you’ll find them quickly joining you at the table for a meal that will pave the way for the positive change you want in their lives.
Tags: child eating habits, child weight loss, childhood obesity, teen eating habits, teen weight loss, weight loss and kids