It was just after 8 a.m. when my 9-year-old son, Jake, decided he wanted to heat up three leftover slices of pizza for breakfast. Clad in his favorite superhero pajamas, he reached up to the microwave, his round little tummy peeking out as he set the timer.
I raised my hands in protest. “Hold on, champ, pizza isn’t exactly breakfast food.”
As he hastily pressed the buttons, I knew he was hoping I’d relent. Maybe he thought that if he got that microwave buzzing, I’d back off. But this time, I wasn’t going to let him have it without a fight. A month ago, I might have let him indulge while I explained why it wasn’t the best choice. But my partner, Lisa, and I had recently made a commitment to instill healthier eating habits in our children, primarily because they’ve been eating junk for far too long. We’ve both recognized this reality, yet we hadn’t tackled it head-on because, truth be told, we weren’t exactly shining examples of healthy eating ourselves.
To be frank, Lisa has a weakness for cookies, while I can’t resist a good soda. My breakfast consists primarily of sugary cereal, the kind that barely qualifies as food. While Lisa makes a point to include fruits and veggies in her diet, I only consume them when I can’t avoid it—usually when the kids ask about it.
My eating habits are dull and unexciting, a product of my picky childhood that I never really outgrew. Admittedly, I have expanded my palate over the years, but I still gravitate toward bland flavors. For a long time, I accepted my pickiness as my problem, but now that I’m in my mid-30s, I’m starting to see the impact on my kids, especially my son.
As I placed the pizza back in the fridge, Jake shot me a look that screamed “hypocrite.” At 9, nearly 10, he’s becoming quite opinionated. As I lectured him on better choices, I was holding an energy drink—sure, it had 5% juice and was marketed as a breakfast drink, but he wasn’t buying it. “Can I have a soda for breakfast?” he asked, eyebrow raised.
I sighed. Not long ago, Jake would have accepted my authority without question, but now he was connecting the dots. I realized I couldn’t keep telling him to eat better when I was indulging in my own poor habits. Parenting often reveals our contradictions, and we all face the challenge of wanting our children to exceed us in every way—from their diets to their education.
“No,” I replied firmly. “You can’t.”
Jake’s eyes lit up with mischief as he mimicked a line I used to say as a child: “Why do you get one then?” I glanced at my energy drink and recalled the countless times I sneaked snacks after the kids went to bed. I’d perfected the art of hiding my bad habits, all while hoping my children would grow up better than I was. It was becoming clear that I needed to step up my game if I wanted them to adopt healthier eating habits.
“Fine!” I relented, “I’ll save it for later.”
But Jake was quick to follow up, “So do I get a soda later?” He knew our rules well—he was allowed one soda a week, while I indulged in far more. After a moment’s hesitation, I poured my energy drink down the drain, a decision I’d rather not have made.
To my surprise, Jake didn’t look at me with admiration; instead, he looked slightly terrified, as if he realized I was serious about making a change. We both ended up with a bowl of whole grain cereal, neither of us particularly thrilled about it, but both understanding it was for the best.
Ultimately, that’s the essence of parenting, isn’t it? To inspire our children to be better, we must first strive to improve ourselves, even when it’s uncomfortable.
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Summary
This article discusses the struggle of promoting healthy eating habits in children when parents themselves are not ideal role models. It highlights the challenges of recognizing one’s own flawed eating habits and making necessary changes to inspire children to develop better dietary choices.
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