Following in My Footsteps

My worst nightmare is coming true, I fear. The other morning, as we were dropping the boy off at day care — a rare dual parent drop-off — the provider pulls us aside and says she wants to talk to us. She’s concerned, she says, about his eating habits. He eats more than all of the other kids, and is actually making enemies among them by stealing food from their plates. He’ll eat a full meal, and then stuff his face with 2 bananas, for example. She’s worried about him, she says, because she doesn’t want him to have the medical problems associated with obesity later in life. * Sigh*

I’ve seen this behavior myself. We went out to eat the other night, and my husband shared his plate with the boy. He was super super hungry to start with (which may have been part of the problem, now that I think about it), and then he kept eating and eating, beyond all reason. At some point, it was difficult to imagine how he was fitting it all in his little stomach. But when my husband stopped feeding, he’d open his mouth and say "aah, aah," like a little bird asking to be fed.

Now, I don’t think restricting his food intake is the answer. I think that’s only setting him up for some kind of eating disorder… or perhaps he begins to learn he has to sneak food in order to be satisfied. So, I got this book — How to Get Your Kid to Eat but Not Too Much — and a lot of the ideas seem like good ones. I also talked to the boy’s doctor… well, a nurse practitioner in the doctor’s office. And she gave some ideas for helping him slow down and get more in tune with his body’s own signals.

Sometimes, when I think about it, I’m just so sad and worried about my son. Is he doomed to a lifetime of struggling with the same issues I faced? But then, I think about how great it is that I’m aware of this, and can work on getting him to have a normal relationship with food — at the same time I work on it for myself. Here are a few resolutions for us both….

1. We will not eat in front of the TV, or the computer, or while reading a book. We will concentrate completely on eating, and on savoring our food.
2. We will eat healthy, wholesome, home-cooked (if possible) meals. I won’t go overboard by cutting out all fat, salt, sugar, etc. but I will keep it moderate. I’ll keep processed foods to a minimum, and I’ll lean toward whole grains.
3. We will eat slowly, and deliberately, and take our time. I will encourage him to take small bites and chew thoroughly.

4. We will limit TV to 1/2 hour to 1 hour daily, if that.

5. On weekends, we will go to the park or do some sort of physical activity both days.
6. We will have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as part of our diet.

Hmm… maybe this crisis (and the medication) are just the kick in the pants I need.