One of the best things you can do is lead by example and keep only healthy snacks in the house. This way if he wants to eat unhealthy things he has to make an effort and use his money to do so. Good luck.
THINKINGMOM 2/25/07 7:26 A
This is an important topic to me, as my 17 year old son has recently become overweight after being relatively healthy his whole life. It is very difficult to control his eating habits, as he is almost an adult. I still pack his lunch for school everyday, but that's the only thing I can still do. He belongs to the gym his Dad and I go to, but refuses to go work out. It's very frustrating. His girlfriend is also overweight. I really believe that they are enablers to overeating.
MEMYSELFANDIAU 2/25/07 2:51 A
I am Sally, Mum to 2, and Grandmum to 2. My ex husband and I are both overweight, so I was always concerned for my sons, that they might follow on. And while they are not really thin, they do have some definite healthy food attitudes: They both like fruit and vegies They both enjoy water to drink They both like to try new foods. I started by always introducing new foods over time when they were small - if they rejected them first time, try again in a week, this was when they were still just eating a small meal and milk was their major nutrition. Then, I always served some part of our normal meal - maybe only the vegies, or a little ground meat, with gravy. If the baby looked interested, he got a taste!! A lot of parent's I know are very concerned about letting their children try foods, but most babies just want to be like their parents - so they want what you have. We only had water as extra drinks most days, although the boys did like a cup of tea!! I bought cordial and juice for parties.
Now, I am helping to raise my 2 grandsons, and the 4 year old will happily choose a salad sandwich from the Shopping Mall rather than all those fried things on offer, and will often choose water to drink. Yes, they do have treats, and do like "chippies" etc, we just do not let them have these all the time.
It is so much easier having kids who will try just about anything, and makes for a much quieter life. Sally in Australia
