Step Up To The Plate: Tips On Keeping Your Kids Healthy and Fit:

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

Weight issues remain prevalent not only among adults but among our youth and children. Again, professionals point out that the problem is not with food (and its consumption) but with negative patterns we associate with it. As parents it’s not only important that you nourish their mind and spirit, but also their body, and that doesn’t mean feeding their every whim.

· Junk food is NOT a reward or treat….so, don’t treat it as such. Stop worrying that you are “depriving” your child from some of life’s sweetest pleasures. Sugary snacks make actually be harmful to their health and using them as a treat may also actually be sending him/her wrong messages/signals about food and helping him/her develop negative eating patterns.

· Set healthy limits. Giving your child nutritious alternatives may not gain favor but it will earn you respect and also give him/her a healthy appreciation for food and appropriate eating patterns.

· Lead by example. Learn to say NO not only to your child, but also to yourself and establish healthy relationships with food as a general household practice.

· Avoid “imposing on” your child an emotional connection with food. Food should remain a necessity independent of social or personal conditions and should NEVER be used as an emotional anchor.

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