Kids & Comfort Food

Our children are what we feed them. Don't blame them if they can't get enough of those Happy Meal prizes; or if they have medical conditions due to the processed foods that you introduced them to.

When they were infants or toddlers - did they ask you to take them to these fast food places? I don't think so. We as parents need to be responsible for teaching our kids to eat in moderation and not endlessly like feeding a slot machine in Vegas. As they grow we teach them to eat portions and slowly; so they can feel full. If we teach them to eat, eat, eat then guess what, they're going to eat non-stop.

I choose to stay away from processed meals all together. I taught my child to eat other choices; realizing that in a few years when she goes out on her own with her friends she can choose at that time what she prefers. If you ask my child if she wants fast food (any type), she'll respond "no thank you I don't eat fat food; and its not healthy either".

Obviously we each raise our children as we each choose and according to what we have been taught. However, if there are consequences to those choices that we made for them, don't turn around and sue the companies, blame the advertisers or expect big brother to step in and regulate; because we have the power of choice.

For some it might be easier to simply swing by the drive thru window and purchase there than to get home and cook a meal. I've been there.

You, don't believe me? Before becoming a mom I had a very different lifestyle. Life in the fast lane, full speed ahead never stopping. I would eat at a certain un-named fast food chain2 or 3 times a day. Several times a week I would adorn my table with this feast; however it wasn't until after I gave birth to my child that I realized how hard it was to drop the weight gained.

My daughter was about 1 year old and I was weighing a whopping 260lbs. I knew that I was all she had in the world and had to do something drastic about my weight. Diets weren't working nor was trying to work-out, and then add to that breast feeding, pumping, as well going to work. This wasn't happening.

My insurance covered the famous gastric bypass surgery. So without much hesitation I decided to go forth. Please don't think it was easy. There were a lot of steps; sleeping tests, blood work, doctors etc. However I wasn't simply planning a surgery, I also had to coordinate my daughter & her sitter. Also had to realize that this was a lifestyle change; not only for cosmetic reasons but health.

I had my procedure the Monday following Thanksgiving. I had left my child with a sitter; whom informed me by phone at 7am, the day I was leaving the hospital, that she couldn't wait until 3pm which is when I'd be home; she had to leave at 10am.

Can you imagine, me laying on a hospital bed thinking what do I do now? I can assure my mental language was a lot more colorful than that expressed here, lol. I did what every other business person in the world would do, pulled out my cell phone, my personal phone book and started calling everyone I could think of that could stay with my child for a few hours. I was frantic, while at the same time pushing to get myself discharged as quickly as possible. Luckily, I was able to find a dear neighbor to help me out.

Now while all this is happening at home; I have a draining tube stuck up my nose. A very wonderful student nurse, whose name escapes me at this time, came into my room and began pulling it out very gently as if not wanting to hurt me. But her lack of speed made it oh so more painful, that I took the tube from her hand and pulled it out myself, thus ending my pain.

By 1pm I had fulfilled all the necessary requirements to be dismissed. The nurses were aware of my home situation; what they didn't know is that I would be driving myself home; which is a big no-no.... Needless to say, I made it home by 3pm the time I had originally planned.

Like most I've had selfimage issues my entire life. Even when I weighed 110lbs I felt fat. It's a struggle that to this day we see and a few years after my surgery I began to struggle with once more. At least now-a-days the girls have Oprah & Dove to assist. (Children in general can be very cruel - topic for another day).

Going back to the topic at hand. We look for food (or whatever drug you prefer); to help aid so many of our fears, mistakes, lack of self-confidence. I'm not sure why, but one day I'll figure it out and when I do I'll share my results with all of you.

After my first month of surgery I had dropped 30lbs. I began to see this amazing transformation and I knew that I couldn't let this opportunity be lost. I ate according to the schedule provided by my doctor, Dr. Enrique Whitwell and his staff, who were all amazing. I soon learned to listen to my body and eat only what it wanted and the amount it asked for.

I took me a total of 1 year and half to lose all my extra weight and level out at 118lbs.

The reason for sharing this story is to show that there is a reason for my being so careful with my daughter and her weight at an early age. I know that if she has her first menstrual cycle over weight the chances of her losing the weight without medical intervention aren't good.

My child is not a skinny stick like a stick; but I do drill in on a daily basis the need for good food and a healthy lifestyle. All my friends know that there are no sodas nor candy in our home. Let me clarify that perhaps once a month we share half a cup of coke from a soda fountain. So there are some sweets, and we eat pizza, ice cream and all other fun things; but our meals are home cooked.

I once said to a friend, for now she would eat greens and home meals; and when she was old enough, healthy with no medical problems she could go on to the Oprah show and complain on "how my mom never let me eat junk food". My friend understood what my intentions were and agreed that healthiness begins at a very young age.

I'm not very sure why, but my child has a tendency to prefer veggies to meats etc. I've often believed that she is too young to be vegan; but now that we have her annual wellness appointment I will mention it to her pediatrician. I'm not vegan, and I do appreciate a good piece of steak or chicken or salmon.

I've learned through process to plan a menu. We bought a tiny white board at Target and write down together our meals for everyday of the week (it helps my daughter practice spelling writing and makes her aware that she's part of our family and our decisions are made together); including the weekend even if we are going out. Then got myself a slow cooker, small enough for just the 2 of us.

While maybe not everyone will agree on my postings; there are ways to help our pockets and waistlines. Remember to always hug your child and remind then that they are beautiful :)