It was just past 8 a.m. when my 9-year-old son, Lucas, decided to pop three slices of leftover pizza into the microwave. Still clad in his favorite dinosaur pajamas, his little belly peeked out as he reached for the timer.
I raised my hands in protest. “Hold up, kiddo! Pizza isn’t a breakfast food.”
Lucas began pressing the buttons with urgency, clearly hoping I’d let it slide this time. I can’t say I blame him; a month prior, I would have allowed him to indulge and then lectured him on healthier choices while he enjoyed every cheesy bite. But my partner, Sarah, and I had recently made a commitment to improve our family’s eating habits, especially since our kids had a penchant for junk food. We’ve known for ages that our own eating habits aren’t great, but we haven’t really tackled it until now.
To be honest, Sarah struggles with her sweet tooth, while I have a serious soda addiction. My diet primarily consists of sugary cereals—think Lucky Charms. To her credit, Sarah makes it a point to include fruits and vegetables in her meals daily. As for me? I only eat them when I’m forced to because the kids are watching.
I’ve always had a bland palate, stemming from my picky eating as a child. Although I’ve expanded my culinary horizons since then, I still prefer foods that lack flavor or spice. For a long time, I accepted my eating habits as my own issue. However, now that I’m in my mid-30s, I’ve noticed my son mirroring my poor choices, which is a wake-up call.
As I began to put the pizza back in the fridge, Lucas looked at me with a mix of confusion and disbelief. Was I being a hypocrite? I was holding an energy drink in my hand, which, sure, was marketed as a breakfast option with 5% juice, but he wasn’t fooled. “Can I have a soda for breakfast?” he asked, and I sighed. There was a time when he wouldn’t have dared to make that connection; he would have just accepted my authority. But now, at almost 10, he’s got a mind of his own.
“No,” I replied firmly.
His expression shifted, and he retorted with a line I used to give my parents, “Then why do you get one?”
Suddenly, I felt exposed. I thought about how many late-night snacks I’d hidden from the kids or how I’d snuck ice cream after they went to bed. I realized that I had been trying to hide my bad habits while hoping they’d make better choices. Now, it dawned on me that I couldn’t just preach healthy eating without leading by example.
I wasn’t ready for a full overhaul of my habits, but I knew I had to step up if I wanted my kids to embrace healthier choices.
“Fine! I’ll save the pizza for later,” I conceded, hoping that would satisfy him.
But Lucas wasn’t done. “So, do I get a soda later?”
He was playing by the rules, and I couldn’t deny it. He already had his one soda for the week, while I indulged in way more than that daily. Realizing I had to follow through, I sighed and poured my energy drink down the drain, something I really didn’t want to do.
Lucas didn’t look up at me with admiration; instead, he seemed a bit terrified that I was serious. Together, we settled for a bowl of whole grain cereal. Neither of us was thrilled, but we both understood that it was for our own good.
This is the essence of parenting, right? To inspire our children to be better, we sometimes have to improve ourselves, even when it feels daunting.
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In summary, encouraging healthy eating in our kids requires us to confront our own habits and make necessary changes. It can be a tough process, but it’s essential for raising healthier, happier children.