January 2010 Dr. Mama Question
Dear Dr. Mama,
A new year is beginning and one of my goals is to take concrete steps to improve the health of our kids. We have two of our own, ages 10 and 7, and an adorable Angels guy who is 22 months. All three are doing fine, but I worry we spend too much time in front of the TV and don’t pay as much attention to nutrition as we might. What are the most important things I can do to make changes that will last a lifetime
Motivated in Mountainview
Dear Motivated,
Bravo! That sound you hear is me clapping for your desire to take on old, comfortable habits and make a difference for your kids. And make no mistake, you and Dad will feel better, too.
First of all, start slowly for the greatest success. You may have visions of turning off the TV and video games, replacing that pizza with whole grains and veggies, and getting those kidlets outside and active, but to get there you’ll need to take small steps. Trying to make big changes too fast is likely to cause a huge rebellion and set you up for failure – not helpful in reaching the goal.
So to get things rolling, try decreasing screen time by ½ to 1 hour a day. Replace it with a planned outdoor activity that’s fun, like a family bike ride or relay races with prizes. The idea is to make it enticing and more interesting than the boob tube. An old favorite of mine: offer to time how long it takes them to run to the end of the block and back. Competition works! Let your little guy tag along, too. Chances are he’ll love getting into the fun.
To ramp up nutrition, start with the little things. Great beginnings include taking the sugar out of breakfast – try toast with peanut butter instead of sugary cereals, adding one serving of fruits and/or veggies to the evening meal – try a fruit salad with their favorites included, and replacing the empty calorie snacks, like chips and cookies, with healthy substitutes like popcorn and nuts. If you can sneak it in, try replacing one of their white bread sandwich slices with whole grain.
Most important, you and Dad have to be the role models. If you show an interest in getting active and eating well they’ll catch on quick. Kids watch what you do even when they don’t seem to hear what you say.
Take it slow, stick to food and activities they like, and before you know it the little steps will add up to big changes. Keep it light, make it fun, and get healthy!
—Dr. Mama
