My future kids...
Im only 20 so dont worry it will be a couple years before i have kids! But I am so nervous because i read about all these girls who have eating disorder at such young ages...8 or 9! I had an eating disorder when i got into college and moved away from my parents.
How can we be good parents and avoid future eating disorders with our kids? Teaching them healthy eating and work out habits without letting them get obsessive about it?
I dont want my kids to ever go through what ive been through.
Kids learn from example. If there are healthy portions and foods at every meal, and the junk is far and few between, they will notice.
I have seen moms say to their young daughters, 'Do you know how much fat is in that?!' and things like that. These little moments, while the mother may not notice, build up in that child's mind.
It is hard, though, trying to prevent everything bad from happening to your kiddos.
All we can do is set a good example.
Kids do learn from example, but they also don't come with any guarantees either. Sometimes you can provide a good example and they will still do their own thing. As a mom I worry all the time. My kids are still little but I worry about everything. My plan is to just be loving and supportive. And in so doing, I hope that that will help them build a strong foundation so that they can get through the tough times by making the choices that are best for them. You can only do so much as a parent. There will come a time when they will make the choices for themselves.
As far as diet, I try not to emphasize " too fat" or "too many calories". Instead I talk about healthy choices and balance and portion size. I can only hope that this will rub off when the time is right!
I think a lot of the reason why I have issues with food and weight is that my mom was ALWAYS on a diet when I was little. I knew all about Weight Watchers when I was way too young to be thinking about that. I also learned from her that if you're fat, it's bad and you should feel bad about yourself. My mother was fabulous in every other way, but I really believe that's where a lot of my issues stem. There is definitely a genetic component, but I think it's all about modeling body esteem and good (but not overcontrolled) eating habits.
