Good Parenting - Avoiding Childhood Obesity

Have you ever noticed, when you're out among theprevent, at least with your own children, my alarming
general public, how fat the kids are nowadays? Thisforecast above. Just doing this will have an
can be a sensitive subject, I know, but let's call a spadeextraordinary impact on your child's future. It's just that
a spade here. I am not talking about 'big built' or aboutsimple. You will have to take an active and ongoing
'large' or any other euphemisms. I am talking about fatconstructive role in the health of your child.
children. This is a relatively new phenomenon but it'sAnd what's the best way to do that? The question
here now and very obvious.you have to ask is what good parenting will always tell
This trend has very dangerous implications for theyou. That is, your child, especially in his early years, will
child's health. If it's your child then you may already becopy you. This is going to be tough. In order to improve
one of the first of a new wave of parents who areyour child's lifetime health, you are going to have to
going to outlive their offspring. This horrific statistic willimprove yours.
become true if nothing is done about it. However, it willThe diet itself is relatively easy. We all need a good
be self correcting after a generation even if nothing issolid foundation of daily fruits, vegetables and protein.
done about it. This is because your offspring won'tThe easiest way to ensure this without resorting to
outlive her offspring because both generations willspecific diets or calorie counters or fat counters or
have a much reduced lifespan. This state of affairs willwhatever is to mainly eat unprocessed food. That's
make everything all right again thank goodness, so weright, you will have to actually cook your own food. No
don't have to worry all that much.more takeaways for every meal, no more junk
The last sentence was pure sarcasm. I really do hopeburgers which are made from whatever. The easiest
you noticed. If you did then this worries you. If youway to do this is to invest in a steamer and/or a slow
know about something bad then you are at least halfcooker along with your oven. These items will let you
way to correcting the situation, at least in your owncook a meal without undue fuss and in a minimum time.
family.A lot of people think that that is enough. They do
So, who's to blame for this state of affairs? Can wepractice this and they have improved their children's
seriously blame the children themselves? I don't thinkhealth. But, and it's a big but, there is another aspect to
so. Whether you like it or not, children are never goingyour and your children's health. That is exercise. You
to be concerned about their health. There is a strongcan go to a gym or get a personal trainer if you can
case for blaming the 'culture' but this just doesn't hackafford one. A simpler idea is to find out what your
it if you consider that your children are yourchildren like, roller blading, dancing, cycling whatever and
responsibility. Even if you didn't realize anything wasjust go out as a family and enjoy yourselves. Or
wrong before, you do now and it's up to you to doalternatively you could join one of the neighborhood
something about it.groups that specifically cater for this sort of thing, if
If you can make sure your child is eating the rightthere is one. Whatever you do, make it fun for your
foods and is getting an active lifestyle then you canchildren.