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Slowtwitch Forums: Lavender Room:
NYT article - kid nutrition

tigerchik

Nov 18, 09 15:27

Post #1 of 3 (102 views)

NYT article - kid nutrition	Can't Post

http://www.nytimes.com/...ew/30bruni.html?_r=1

What do you think?

I disagree with this:

In Reply To:

Joan Yamini, a mother of one in Austin, Tex., said it was important not to have unhealthy foods around the house, but Andrew Segal, a father of three in Glen Ridge, N.J., said that children who can�t find cookies, ice cream and similar snacks at home can always find them elsewhere � and probably will.

To counter that n=1 story: my mom very rarely let us have soda when we were little. My parents would drink a can of soda a day, usually in the afternoon. But the only time I had soda was if we made root beer floats. Meals were always served with chocolate milk. When I went to friends' houses, I would unfailingly request milk with dinner, even if they had soda. Cookies/ice cream/other desserty items were a rarity. I didn't "find them elsewhere" as the article suggests.

As a summer camp asst director it is very interesting to eat lunch with kids and see what they pack... some really healthy, some middle of the road, others lunch = bag of chips and 2 twinkies. (I'm not kidding).
_____________
mmm, pi!

AmyCO

Nov 18, 09 16:33

Post #2 of 3 (84 views)

Re: NYT article - kid nutrition [tigerchik] [In reply to]	Can't Post

This story presumes that parents have significant power to influence their kids' diet choices when, in fact, there's really only so much a parent can control. We have good and bad stuff in our house. My daughter rarely eats any of the junk and sticks to the healthy stuff. My son loves the candy and I have to really watch to make sure he gets good nutrition. You were probably more like my daughter. If I was fanatical about no junk, my son would find it elsewhere.

An interesting example of this was a story I read recently about the Boulder school district. The district has gone to great lengths (and spent lots o money) to provide kids organic, non-processed food, including lots of fresh fruits and veges. Since implementing these changes, fewer kids have been buying lunch at school.

Just goes to show, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink (or however the saying goes . . . .).

trail

Nov 18, 09 16:38

Post #3 of 3 (83 views)

Re: NYT article - kid nutrition [tigerchik] [In reply to]	Can't Post

My n=1 is that I had no TV growing up. And I *did* find other places to watch TV, often excessively. If I'd had a TV, but been educated on watching it sparingly, I think I'd have had less unhealthy obsession with it once I'd gained access to it through friends. (now I no longer watch it except for DVD movies once a week or so)

I think we want children to acquire good decision-making processes through knowledge and experience. Not through habit or indoctrination.

I say give kids a normal -even tempting - environment. But equip them with the knowledge to make good decisions, and reinforce good behavior on a daily basis.

And FYI, your story doesn't count because chocolate milk kicks soda's ass any day.