http://whatscookingwithkids.com/2009/05/22/feeding-kids-can-be-a-balancing-act-guest-post/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:48:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 http://whatscookingwithkids.com/2009/05/22/feeding-kids-can-be-a-balancing-act-guest-post/#comment-23568 Karina Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:40:49 +0000 http://whatscookingblog.com/?p=1094#comment-23568 My 5yo had his first bubble gum last week. He asked for it at a party where his best friend was eating one, so I felt it was time for him to try it. So I told him he could, but that he should not swallow it and to be aware that gum is not good for his teeth. He liked it (darn!), but told me that he would brush his teeth 50 times after eating one (!). I think that teaching kids to choose good food for them is one of the most important lessons ever, to help them make good decisions... we taught them not to drink soda (we also have an 8yo son), and that has worked very well so far. They know they could taste it if they wanted but have chosen not to, which is sometimes kind of strange around kids as young as one being given soda by their parents, but they always choose water over that (woohoo! our work hasn't been in vain...). It's a daily struggle, but so worth it. My 5yo had his first bubble gum last week. He asked for it at a party where his best friend was eating one, so I felt it was time for him to try it. So I told him he could, but that he should not swallow it and to be aware that gum is not good for his teeth. He liked it (darn!), but told me that he would brush his teeth 50 times after eating one (!). I think that teaching kids to choose good food for them is one of the most important lessons ever, to help them make good decisions… we taught them not to drink soda (we also have an 8yo son), and that has worked very well so far. They know they could taste it if they wanted but have chosen not to, which is sometimes kind of strange around kids as young as one being given soda by their parents, but they always choose water over that (woohoo! our work hasn’t been in vain…). It’s a daily struggle, but so worth it.

]]> http://whatscookingwithkids.com/2009/05/22/feeding-kids-can-be-a-balancing-act-guest-post/#comment-23556 Mindy Fri, 22 May 2009 20:25:31 +0000 http://whatscookingblog.com/?p=1094#comment-23556 Interesting...we don't really have any forbidden foods in our house (with an almost-three-year-old daughter), but we do try to limit sweets. This isn't really because we don't think our daughter shouldn't have sugar, but because she often likes healthier food better when given the choice. We also didn't limit her "good" foods when she was younger, and as a result, she'll eat almost anything put in front of her, including things like onions, which kids typically don't like. I just make sure that I keep putting diverse foods on her plate...and then let her make the choice (for the most part). Interesting…we don’t really have any forbidden foods in our house (with an almost-three-year-old daughter), but we do try to limit sweets. This isn’t really because we don’t think our daughter shouldn’t have sugar, but because she often likes healthier food better when given the choice. We also didn’t limit her “good” foods when she was younger, and as a result, she’ll eat almost anything put in front of her, including things like onions, which kids typically don’t like. I just make sure that I keep putting diverse foods on her plate…and then let her make the choice (for the most part).

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