I've been wanting to write a post on kids for sometime now. It's a touchy subject and I just wasn't sure how to approach it. We as parents have a very very tough job. Our little ones don't come with manuals and we all do the best we can how we can. This will probably be my only post on the subject, or at least one of very few! I hate giving advice with kids. I really do. However, I do want to give a thought on the subject. Sometimes it's nice to get others take on a things!
I really stay away from feeding my kids any sort of lifestyle. I'm mainly paleo and they are not. I would never dream about feeding them vegan or vegetarian, or any other boxed way. If you do and you are passionate about it GREAT! It's not for my family. I really feel that kids are such picky beings, I just want them to eat. I want them to be nourished in wonderful ways that feeds their growing minds and their growing bodies. My motto with kids is, JUST EAT!
Just like adults, what works for one won't work for another. I feel the same way about children. Just because you are a vegan, doesn't mean a Vegan lifestyle will work for your child. Just because you don't eat carbs, doesn't mean you child will do well with a low carb life. I know as parents we want to lead by example. Well show them real food! I really feel in my heart that we need to focus on teaching our children's better farm practices. That it is not okay to factory farm our animals. That it is not okay to treat them with abuse. That it is not okay to have 10000 chickens in one barn. This, this needs to be our teaching. We need to teach our children about where our food really comes from. The work put into making them a meal. We need to teach our children about chickens laying eggs and turkeys for Christmas. We need to show our children the dirt in which our veggies are grown and we need to bring them to talk to farmers.
Our children are the future and we have strayed so far from real, we're now raising children who have no idea where food comes from or how food is grown. I really feel we need to focus more on keeping it real then focusing on 'they can't eat meat' or 'they can't have grains!' or 'sorry my kids don't drink from other animals'
I really hate restricting any growing child's food intake. They are growing and you have no idea what food their bodies need. I try to stick to keeping it real. I try to feed my kids from scratch. I offer meals that I made in the kitchen, with ingredients that are nourishing. When my farm box comes in, I want them to be excited by it. I let them explore things like boar and venison. They know we eat cows and pigs. I don't hide things from them. I also try to get them to recognize how food feels in their bodies. I teach them about treats and goodies. They know we can buy ice cream in a box, but making it at home is so much yummier...and we know what's in it!
Just keep it real!
Now our family isn't perfect. We do teach a lot about food as we feel it's important. However, they do go to school and birthday parties. There are sleep overs and playdates. We don't ever restrict food during these times. Food is supposed to be fun. Some of the best memories are with food! My kids eat very healthy at home, at school if I even think of packing a fruit or veggie it's boycotted. They like granola bars and yogurt tubes. They like cheese strings and white bread. I have tried very hard to sway them a different way, I really have. However, sometimes it's just not worth the fight. They eat a healthy breakfast and a healthy dinner. On the weekends I can make sure the meals they are eating are packed with nutrients. I'm not going to fight them on lunches. They are eating and working on full bellies.
Again, I'm not going to tell you how to raise your child. This is your being. I do feel that every child needs to make a decision for themselves on the food that goes into their bellies. Teach them about food. Let them explore in the kitchen. Get them growing stuff in the garden. Make food exciting and memorable. Teach them about good farming practices. Always offer and have on hand real food. If you do this, I believe when they get older they will make better food choices and be knowledgeable on what foods they want in their bodies. My 8.5 year old is now at this stage. She hates meat. She's our resident vegetarian. I don't push meat with her, but she knows if she isn't going to eat meat, then she will have to eat more veg. I really feel she knows her body better then I do. If she's not comfortable with a certain food then that's probably because her body doesn't need it.
I know it's hard when we are really passionate about food and firmly believe in what we are eating. I get this. However isn't it more important to educate them on food then have them focus on what they should or shouldn't be eating? I'm so worried about kids these days. Very worried. I feel so many of us are more focused on the cause and not the big picture. I want my kids to know that if we can't get local tomatoes we should grow them. I want them to feel comfortable going to farmer brown and asking about what his cows eat and to see his fields. I want my kids to know that bread comes from wheat, that you knead it with your hands, you rise it with yeast (or sour dough!) that it's a process and it takes work and love to make a loaf. These practices are such vital and important lessons.
Maybe this is just my approach to raising my kids. I know everyone is different. I follow the same practices with everything. I am a Christian. It is important that my children follow Christian practices. However I do educate them on all world religions. Maybe they connect better with Buddhism or Judaism. I'm trying to raise children confident in making decisions so I'm arming them with all the information I can. To me. This is the bigger picture.
Yours in health
Tiffany
I really stay away from feeding my kids any sort of lifestyle. I'm mainly paleo and they are not. I would never dream about feeding them vegan or vegetarian, or any other boxed way. If you do and you are passionate about it GREAT! It's not for my family. I really feel that kids are such picky beings, I just want them to eat. I want them to be nourished in wonderful ways that feeds their growing minds and their growing bodies. My motto with kids is, JUST EAT!
Just like adults, what works for one won't work for another. I feel the same way about children. Just because you are a vegan, doesn't mean a Vegan lifestyle will work for your child. Just because you don't eat carbs, doesn't mean you child will do well with a low carb life. I know as parents we want to lead by example. Well show them real food! I really feel in my heart that we need to focus on teaching our children's better farm practices. That it is not okay to factory farm our animals. That it is not okay to treat them with abuse. That it is not okay to have 10000 chickens in one barn. This, this needs to be our teaching. We need to teach our children about where our food really comes from. The work put into making them a meal. We need to teach our children about chickens laying eggs and turkeys for Christmas. We need to show our children the dirt in which our veggies are grown and we need to bring them to talk to farmers.
Our children are the future and we have strayed so far from real, we're now raising children who have no idea where food comes from or how food is grown. I really feel we need to focus more on keeping it real then focusing on 'they can't eat meat' or 'they can't have grains!' or 'sorry my kids don't drink from other animals'
I really hate restricting any growing child's food intake. They are growing and you have no idea what food their bodies need. I try to stick to keeping it real. I try to feed my kids from scratch. I offer meals that I made in the kitchen, with ingredients that are nourishing. When my farm box comes in, I want them to be excited by it. I let them explore things like boar and venison. They know we eat cows and pigs. I don't hide things from them. I also try to get them to recognize how food feels in their bodies. I teach them about treats and goodies. They know we can buy ice cream in a box, but making it at home is so much yummier...and we know what's in it!
Just keep it real!
Now our family isn't perfect. We do teach a lot about food as we feel it's important. However, they do go to school and birthday parties. There are sleep overs and playdates. We don't ever restrict food during these times. Food is supposed to be fun. Some of the best memories are with food! My kids eat very healthy at home, at school if I even think of packing a fruit or veggie it's boycotted. They like granola bars and yogurt tubes. They like cheese strings and white bread. I have tried very hard to sway them a different way, I really have. However, sometimes it's just not worth the fight. They eat a healthy breakfast and a healthy dinner. On the weekends I can make sure the meals they are eating are packed with nutrients. I'm not going to fight them on lunches. They are eating and working on full bellies.
Again, I'm not going to tell you how to raise your child. This is your being. I do feel that every child needs to make a decision for themselves on the food that goes into their bellies. Teach them about food. Let them explore in the kitchen. Get them growing stuff in the garden. Make food exciting and memorable. Teach them about good farming practices. Always offer and have on hand real food. If you do this, I believe when they get older they will make better food choices and be knowledgeable on what foods they want in their bodies. My 8.5 year old is now at this stage. She hates meat. She's our resident vegetarian. I don't push meat with her, but she knows if she isn't going to eat meat, then she will have to eat more veg. I really feel she knows her body better then I do. If she's not comfortable with a certain food then that's probably because her body doesn't need it.
I know it's hard when we are really passionate about food and firmly believe in what we are eating. I get this. However isn't it more important to educate them on food then have them focus on what they should or shouldn't be eating? I'm so worried about kids these days. Very worried. I feel so many of us are more focused on the cause and not the big picture. I want my kids to know that if we can't get local tomatoes we should grow them. I want them to feel comfortable going to farmer brown and asking about what his cows eat and to see his fields. I want my kids to know that bread comes from wheat, that you knead it with your hands, you rise it with yeast (or sour dough!) that it's a process and it takes work and love to make a loaf. These practices are such vital and important lessons.
Maybe this is just my approach to raising my kids. I know everyone is different. I follow the same practices with everything. I am a Christian. It is important that my children follow Christian practices. However I do educate them on all world religions. Maybe they connect better with Buddhism or Judaism. I'm trying to raise children confident in making decisions so I'm arming them with all the information I can. To me. This is the bigger picture.
Yours in health
Tiffany