I have heard a lot of parents saying things like, “my child doesn’t like fruits”, or “my child doesn’t eat vegetables”. And I wonder why, when these are the things the children should be eating. Could it be that we don’t have the time to chop the vegetables or the patience to cut the fruits and make them creative enough for the children to eat?
It is important to note that healthy eating can stabilize children’s energy, sharpen their minds, and even out their moods.
By encouraging healthy eating habits now, you can make a huge impact on your children’s lifelong relationship with food and give them the best opportunity to grow into healthy, confident adults.
Children develop a natural preference for the foods they enjoy the most, and the foods most served them, so the challenge is to make healthy choices appealing.
Children love cookies and sweets so you can ensure that your children’s diet is as nutritious and wholesome as possible, even while allowing for some of their favorite treats.
The childhood impulse to imitate is strong, so it’s important you act as a role model for your kids. It’s no good asking your child to eat fruit and vegetables while you eat biscuits, chocolates and juice all day. By eating fruits and vegetables and not overindulging in the less nutritious stuff, you'll be sending the right message. Another way to be a good role model is to serve appropriate portions and not overeat.
Tips to promote healthy childhood eating
• Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every night and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting and enhances appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal, especially since children who eat breakfast tend to do better in school.
• Cook more meals at home. Eating home cooked meals is healthier for the whole family and sets a great example for children about the importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to have more fat, sugar, and salt. Save dining out for special occasions.
• Get children involved. Children enjoy helping adults to shop for food stuffs, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It's also a chance for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods, and (for older children) how to read food labels.
• Make a variety of healthy snacks available instead of empty calorie snacks. Keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around and easily accessible so children become used to reaching for healthy snacks instead of empty calorie snacks like juice, chips, or cookies.
• Limit fat intake. By avoiding fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
• Limit portion sizes. Don’t insist your child cleans the plate, and never use food as a reward or bribe.
LIMIT SUGAR AND SALT
One of the biggest challenges for parents is to limit the amount of sugar and salt in their children’s diets. Most parents prefer to give their children 2 packets of juice to water. Water is an essential part of a child’s nutrition, so parents should cut down on the juice boxes and encourage the children to drink plenty of water.
It is recommended that sugar intake for children be limited to 3 teaspoons (12 grams) a day. Cutting back on candy and cookies is only part of the solution. Large amounts of added sugar can also be hidden in foods such as bread, ketchup, and fast food.
• Don’t ban sweets entirely. Having a no sweets rule is an invitation for cravings and overindulging when given the chance.
• Give recipes a makeover. Many recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda(that is 1 and a half cups of juice) has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than three times the daily recommended limit for children! Try adding a splash of fruit juice to sparkling water instead.
• Cut down on processed foods, such as white bread and cakes, which cause blood sugar to go up and down, and can leave kids tired and sapped of energy.
• Create your own popsicles and frozen treats. Freeze 100% fruit juice in an ice-cube tray with plastic spoons as popsicle handles. Or try freezing grapes, berries, banana pieces, or peach slices, then topping with a little chocolate sauce or whipped cream for an amazing treat.
I look forward to great results as our children begin to eat healthy! A healthy lifestyle begins with a proper diet. Healthy eating is important for the proper formation of bones, teeth, muscle and a healthy heart. Diet can affect growth and development in small children as well as teens. Childhood obesity is on the rise, and by promoting a healthy diet, children can maintain a healthy weight and stay healthy as they grow into young adults.
I will be listing out the different food types and their nutritional values in the next post!
Thanks a lot Vivian for inspiring this write up!
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN TO LOVE
Valentine is here again! What plans do you have for your children? We have spent valentine with our spouses these past valentines, why don’t we include our children this year? Use this opportunity amongst others to teach them about love. Let them understand the importance of sharing and showing love properly. Teaching children to love others is not accomplished merely by instruction. The best results come when parents model the values of love and involve their children in projects of love. Your gestures of love towards them and towards others influence your children deeply. Your job as a parent is to make your children conscious of love, its importance and its power. They need to have love stirred up within them. This isn’t your task for just when they are little children, it continues even when they are teenagers and adults themselves.
If our children, who are our future, do not learn about love they will be unable to show it to others and then we would face a future world that is cold and heartless. It is the ability to love that makes us human. Love dwells in each and every one of us and it is our job as parents to make sure that our children learn how to love. Children have the responsibility to love and serve others now, not just when they grow up.
If our children do not learn to love they will lose the ability to feel and show love, which is one of the most precious gifts that God has given us.
Learning to love will help children avoid many of the pitfalls that come as they grow. It can make them a better person; give them the confidence to do what is right and help make the world a better place.
For this valentine, give gifts to your children and encourage them to give gifts to others.
I plan to go to an orphanage with my family. As part of teaching my children to share gifts with the less privileged and also as part of teaching them how to treat the less privileged (with love and respect).
Wishing you all the best in this season of love, and remember, showing of love should not be limited to this one day in the year but should be a life style for us and our children.
Happy valentine!
If our children, who are our future, do not learn about love they will be unable to show it to others and then we would face a future world that is cold and heartless. It is the ability to love that makes us human. Love dwells in each and every one of us and it is our job as parents to make sure that our children learn how to love. Children have the responsibility to love and serve others now, not just when they grow up.
If our children do not learn to love they will lose the ability to feel and show love, which is one of the most precious gifts that God has given us.
Learning to love will help children avoid many of the pitfalls that come as they grow. It can make them a better person; give them the confidence to do what is right and help make the world a better place.
For this valentine, give gifts to your children and encourage them to give gifts to others.
I plan to go to an orphanage with my family. As part of teaching my children to share gifts with the less privileged and also as part of teaching them how to treat the less privileged (with love and respect).
Wishing you all the best in this season of love, and remember, showing of love should not be limited to this one day in the year but should be a life style for us and our children.
Happy valentine!
Sunday, 3 February 2013
VALUES WE SHOULD TEACH OUR CHILDREN
1. HONESTY: The best way to teach your child to be truthful is to be truthful yourself. Don’t tell your child to tell your landlord that you are not at home when you are, or let them hear you telling your friend that you are in Lagos when you are in Abuja. Also don’t over react when your child lies; instead help them find a way to tell the truth. When you discover they have done something, instead of asking “why did you break the glass”? You could ask, “What happened that the glass got broken?" That way the child has no opportunity to lie.
Your child takes cues from you, so it’s important you avoid any form of deception. Let your child hear you being truthful with other adults. It might not be convenient, it might not be comfortable, but you always feel good after telling the truth.
2. JUSTICE: Insist your child makes amends. Teach your child to identify and express her feelings and to understand why she behaved in a certain way, and then encourage her to take actions to remedy a wrong. Saying “I’m sorry” is easy for a child and lets a child off the hook without forcing her to think. But having a child make amends conveys a much stronger message. Help your child think of a way to compensate if they have behaved badly towards another. Perhaps they could replace a playmates toy they damaged with one of theirs. By encouraging your child to make such gestures, you emphasize the importance of treating people fairly.
3. DETERMINATION: Encourage your child to take on a challenge. Determination is a value you can encourage from a very young age. The easiest way to do this is by avoiding excessive praise, and by providing children with honest feedback, delivered in a gentle, supportive fashion. Another way to help children develop determination is to encourage them to do things that don’t come easily- and to praise them for their initiative. My daughter is shy in front of a crowd,(she calls it stage fright), so I encourage her to do presentations in front of everyone in the house. I also include her in competitions that involve her standing before a crowd. We are not yet there, but we are making progress. Congratulate children when they manage to do things that are difficult for them, this encourages them and makes them determined to keep trying.
4. CONSIDERATION: Teach children to think about other people’s feelings. Engage your child in problem-solving exercises; this helps them learn the value of consideration. Over time, they see that words or actions can make another person smile or feel better and that when they are kind to someone else, that person is nice to them. This feedback encourages other genuine acts of consideration.
5. LOVE: Be generous with your affection. We as parents tend to think that children are naturally loving and generous with their affection. This is true, but for loving sentiments to last, it has to be reciprocated. Let your child see you demonstrate love and affection for the people in your life. Talk to them about how much you love and appreciate their grandparents, aunt, uncles. And of course, don’t let a day pass without showing your child how much you love her. The more hugs and kisses you give, the more hugs and kisses you get. The more you say ‘I love you”, the more your house is filled with love. Even when the hassle of the day catches up with me, my daughter remembers to always say “I love you” with a hug and a kiss, that makes my day.
Remember that you cannot give what you don’t have, so if these values are lacking in your life, it will be hard to instill or teach them to your children. If you need to improve yourself as a parent please do so for the sake of our children who deserve the best of us.
Till next time, Excellence is our aim!
Your child takes cues from you, so it’s important you avoid any form of deception. Let your child hear you being truthful with other adults. It might not be convenient, it might not be comfortable, but you always feel good after telling the truth.
2. JUSTICE: Insist your child makes amends. Teach your child to identify and express her feelings and to understand why she behaved in a certain way, and then encourage her to take actions to remedy a wrong. Saying “I’m sorry” is easy for a child and lets a child off the hook without forcing her to think. But having a child make amends conveys a much stronger message. Help your child think of a way to compensate if they have behaved badly towards another. Perhaps they could replace a playmates toy they damaged with one of theirs. By encouraging your child to make such gestures, you emphasize the importance of treating people fairly.
3. DETERMINATION: Encourage your child to take on a challenge. Determination is a value you can encourage from a very young age. The easiest way to do this is by avoiding excessive praise, and by providing children with honest feedback, delivered in a gentle, supportive fashion. Another way to help children develop determination is to encourage them to do things that don’t come easily- and to praise them for their initiative. My daughter is shy in front of a crowd,(she calls it stage fright), so I encourage her to do presentations in front of everyone in the house. I also include her in competitions that involve her standing before a crowd. We are not yet there, but we are making progress. Congratulate children when they manage to do things that are difficult for them, this encourages them and makes them determined to keep trying.
4. CONSIDERATION: Teach children to think about other people’s feelings. Engage your child in problem-solving exercises; this helps them learn the value of consideration. Over time, they see that words or actions can make another person smile or feel better and that when they are kind to someone else, that person is nice to them. This feedback encourages other genuine acts of consideration.
5. LOVE: Be generous with your affection. We as parents tend to think that children are naturally loving and generous with their affection. This is true, but for loving sentiments to last, it has to be reciprocated. Let your child see you demonstrate love and affection for the people in your life. Talk to them about how much you love and appreciate their grandparents, aunt, uncles. And of course, don’t let a day pass without showing your child how much you love her. The more hugs and kisses you give, the more hugs and kisses you get. The more you say ‘I love you”, the more your house is filled with love. Even when the hassle of the day catches up with me, my daughter remembers to always say “I love you” with a hug and a kiss, that makes my day.
Remember that you cannot give what you don’t have, so if these values are lacking in your life, it will be hard to instill or teach them to your children. If you need to improve yourself as a parent please do so for the sake of our children who deserve the best of us.
Till next time, Excellence is our aim!
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Helping your child succeed in school (2)
Dear Parents,
How are you all doing? How did the assignment go? (For those of us who needed to do it).
I’m glad we are making progress to improve the relationship with our children.
The second and concluding part of “Helping your child succeed in School”.
Fourthly, provide your children with a well-balanced life.
A stable home, filled with love, serves as a solid foundation for your child performing excellently in school. Establish routines so your children get enough sleep, eat regular nourishing meals (Keep healthy cereals and fresh fruit on hand, and stock your refrigerator with proteins that are easy to prepare). “A protein breakfast is good and will keep your children active during the day. Ensure they receive sufficient exercise. Limit excessive TV-viewing and the playing of video and computer games.
Let your children organize as much as possible ahead of time: lay out clothes the night before, sort out their bags, arrange homework and whatever they would be taking to school the following day. It’s amazing how attention to these little details can help the morning go more smoothly.
Fifthly, read to your children every day and encourage them to read extensively.
Most of the learning your children do in school involves reading. Read to your children to teach them about reading, expand and enrich their vocabularies, and broaden their experiences. Reading aloud exposes them to materials that would be difficult for them to read on their own. Also make sure there is a wide variety of interesting reading materials in your home to encourage the reading habit. It is important to note that you cannot give what you don’t have, so if as a parent you do not read (whether books or newspaper), you will have a hard time getting your children to like reading.
Sixth, talk to your children about school.
Your children spend hours in school every day. A lot can happen during that time. Show that you are genuinely interested in their day by asking questions about what they did and talking with them about the work they bring home. When problems occur, work with your children to find solutions.
I had the privilege of meeting with a parent who has 2 children (a boy and a girl). The girl wanted to change her school so he was contemplating changing both of them (school runs made easy). After the placement test, only the girl resumed, when I asked after the boy, he said the boy said he was okay with his present school and didn’t want a change. And I got to know from the discussion we had, that he spent time talking with his son and understanding from the boy’s point of view reasons why he preferred to remain where he is. I was so impressed!
Little things like asking your children which club they would like to join in school can make a whole lot of difference to your relationship. You will be amazed that you will learn a lot about your children this way.
Lastly, visit your child’s school. Be knowledgeable about the place where your child learns.
I hope this will be helpful in making your child’s stay in school an excellent one and to improve your relationship with them.
Remember that our children are always learning, if we are not the ones teaching them someone else will be doing the teaching and if we are not “following”, we lose track of what they are doing and our children will be led astray, (please say God forbid).
Till next time, keep “following” your children and be aware of what happens around them.
God bless!
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Helping your child succeed in school! Part 1
Heeello Parents,
Schools have just resumed and there is the issue of work, school runs and managing the home front. I can attest to the fact that its not easy. But if our children are to succeed in school, we need to make sure we are there for them. We cant tell them to do well in school and we fail to support them. Most of us parents believe that the school is the sole carer of our children, and because we have paid the tuition fees, the teachers should ensure our kids succeed, (this is contracting parenting). As a parent and a teacher i beg to differ, it takes both the teacher and parent for our children to succeed in school.
The teachers will do their part, the schools will ensure that (because they do not want to loose their integrity). But as parents we have our own share of the work, and believe me its not a small one.
Before i give us tips on how to help our children succeed in school, i will like to ask the following questions:
1. What curriculum is used in your child's school?
2. What is the name of your child's teacher?
3. Mention the names of 4 children in your child's class.
4. When was the last time you attended a Parents Teachers Forum?
5. When was the last time you went through your children's homework?
6. Have you ever attended an 'open day' or a 'parent-teacher conference'?
If you can answer all of the above questions positively, BRAVO! you are up to date with your child and doing a good job. If you cant answer some or all of the questions, then that is your assignment for the week.
Tips on helping your child succeed in school:
First, make sure your child does homework! Get a quiet place, with a table and chair, away from the television. If you are one of those who get home late, get someone to help with the homework, but ensure that you go through when you get back.
Second, get to know your child's teacher because you are both partners in your child's progress and you will need to be speaking with him/her regularly on your child's progress and challenges.
Third, join the school's PTA. This will help you keep abreast of whats happening in the school. Please don't attend PTA ready for a fight. Attend with positive ideas to help the school improve based on issues you have noticed.
Looking forward to any questions you might have!
Part 2 ................ SOON! Till then, keep making time for your children.
Schools have just resumed and there is the issue of work, school runs and managing the home front. I can attest to the fact that its not easy. But if our children are to succeed in school, we need to make sure we are there for them. We cant tell them to do well in school and we fail to support them. Most of us parents believe that the school is the sole carer of our children, and because we have paid the tuition fees, the teachers should ensure our kids succeed, (this is contracting parenting). As a parent and a teacher i beg to differ, it takes both the teacher and parent for our children to succeed in school.
The teachers will do their part, the schools will ensure that (because they do not want to loose their integrity). But as parents we have our own share of the work, and believe me its not a small one.
Before i give us tips on how to help our children succeed in school, i will like to ask the following questions:
1. What curriculum is used in your child's school?
2. What is the name of your child's teacher?
3. Mention the names of 4 children in your child's class.
4. When was the last time you attended a Parents Teachers Forum?
5. When was the last time you went through your children's homework?
6. Have you ever attended an 'open day' or a 'parent-teacher conference'?
If you can answer all of the above questions positively, BRAVO! you are up to date with your child and doing a good job. If you cant answer some or all of the questions, then that is your assignment for the week.
Tips on helping your child succeed in school:
First, make sure your child does homework! Get a quiet place, with a table and chair, away from the television. If you are one of those who get home late, get someone to help with the homework, but ensure that you go through when you get back.
Second, get to know your child's teacher because you are both partners in your child's progress and you will need to be speaking with him/her regularly on your child's progress and challenges.
Third, join the school's PTA. This will help you keep abreast of whats happening in the school. Please don't attend PTA ready for a fight. Attend with positive ideas to help the school improve based on issues you have noticed.
Looking forward to any questions you might have!
Part 2 ................ SOON! Till then, keep making time for your children.
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Welcome!
Dear Parents and Parents to be, you are welcome to my parenting blog. I'm so excited because I believe we will have a great time learning together how to be the best at parenting. In this era where almost every parent is soooo busy, there needs to be a balance between family and work. Our children need to learn the right values, and we need to be the ones to teach it to them. If we fail to do this, someone else will teach them and what they will learn will not be what we like.
So stay with me and let's learn together how to train our children right in this times.
We are great at our jobs, careers, relationships, let's be the best at PARENTING!
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