Is it possible to get my charges to eat healthy foods when their dad just doesn't care? I mean, he considers fruit snacks a fruit. The kids don't eat vegetables, except for carrots dipped in ranch, and even then they mostly just lick off the dip. For breakfast they eat sugary cereal. I encourage them to have fruit with their cereal at least, but that usually ends up in the trash. For lunch and dinner it's mostly processed crap like chicken nuggets and hot pockets. I don't do his grocery shopping, and he won't take me up on it when I offer, so I get stuck with whatever he buys. I've tried making healthy meals for the kids, even bringing in food from my house, but since their dad won't make them even try it if they don't want to, it's pretty much just a waste of food. I'm not a health nut by any means, and I don't expect them to ever be begging me for spinach, but I just wish I could get them to try a ham sandwich, or chicken noodle soup! I joke around with my boss that his kids are going to get scurvy, but he doesn't seem to be getting the hint! I really appreciate that he doesn't want to burden me with household stuff, but this is something I'd really like to help him out with. On the other hand, I don't want offend him. He really is a great single father, who just doesn't have the greatest eating habits!
20 comments:
Perhaps you can offer to do some shopping for him and pick up some healthier foods for the kids. For example, you can say, "Hey...Sprouts has a great sale this week on Fuji apples...I am sure the kids will love them...how about if I stop on the way to work and pick up some?"
That way it sounds like you are offering to help him out.
Anyway, remember bottom line they are HIS kids and if he doesn't seem to be too concerned w/their diet, I would just let it go.
Tough, but you can't save the world...♥
Your best bet is to try to get through to the kids, not him. MAybe you can make eating healthier stuff "fun"? Jessica Seinfield has cookbooks that may (or may not....) help.
My sister feeds her kids trash all the time, everything is fast food because she's too lazy to make smart choices for her kids. I turned the kids on to healthier foods, and now (sometimes) they ask for it when they are with her. Something as simple as subbing out apple slices over french fries at McDonald's can be a great first step.
You can make suggestions all you like but ultimately it is the father's decision. But good for you for trying to help! The PP made some good suggestions. Perhaps you can find "healthier" versions of kid friendly foods they can try.
Get creative! Give him one new healthy food per week to buy for a "project" youre doing with the kids. Then figure out how to make these new foods fun & educational.
Its ultimately his decision what he wants his kids to eat. Maybe you should take a step back and try not to argue it too much.
It would be nice if they took an interest in being healthy, but they're just kids.
I babysat regularly for a family like this. The mother announced to me one week that she "doesn't cook". Her misogynistic husband believes cooking is women's work, so he doesn't cook either. It was so frustrating, especially when I came in one day to find the two-year-old drinking Coke.
Good luck! I totally feel your pain.
I agree with Nashville Nanny that you could try to get through to the kids instead.
I have some kids who I sit for as needed whose parents let them eat any junk. When mealtimes are around, I ask them to pick a fruit or veggie to eat with their food, water down their juice, etc. Yeah, I know it's not going to change their diet, but I still do it.
I once had a job similar to this, except I actually could get the kiddo to eat healthily. He would drink water and eat apple slices or carrot sticks almost every day for after-school snack but then when summer came around, his mother (a doctor!) told me she wanted me to feed him buttered noodles and chicken nuggets with chocolate milk every day for lunch. I'm not exaggerating--every day! When I once fed him something healthy for lunch (and he ate it), she found out and put the noodles and nuggets on the counter for me the next day "so I would know where they were." So my advice is, if you can get the kids to eat healthy foods, go for it, but don't bother getting dad on board with it. Some people are just way too far stuck in their ways.
A ham sandwich is not healthy. If you want chicken soup make it!! Do you know how much salt is in the can soup??
Freshly made chicken noodle soup can be very healthy.
Try doing a once a week cooking activity with the children. Teach them to make pizza, soups, quiche, chicken, and your favorite dishes to make. They are all more likely to eat healthier foods if they made them. Learning to cook is a second benefit for th children. I cook with my charges all the time and we enjoy it.
Laura, I know I am probably going to get chewed out for this, but I dont see what the big deal is with kids and soda. My 2 year old drinks soda. I buy only caffeine free diet coke and pepsi, so it isnt like I am loading her up on sugar and caffeine, and honestly, I would rather she drink that, than sugary juices. She also drinks water and milk regularly, and a good variety of healthy foods, as well as the occasional chicken nugget. There are a lot of kids out there that drink soda, and while its probably not very healthy, there are a lot worse things kids could be drinking.
I agree with the previous posters that a ham sandwich is not really any healthier than chicken nuggets, and if you want to serve chicken soup, stay away from the can and make it fresh. It sounds like you are trying to add healthy foods into thier already exisitng diet. Rather than asking them to eat the apple with the fruit snacks, remove the fruit snacks from the equation. If given the choice, they will choose the fruit snack, its probably all they have ever known.
Lovethatdietcoke-
You should do some research on what is in that Diet Coke before you let your 2 year old drink her next one. Artificial sweeteners are not healthy, especially not for growing bodies.
Op here: thanks for all the suggestions. I know a ham sandwich isn't the healthiest thing, but it would be something different. I can't even get the kids to try things like lunch meat, string cheese, kiwi, sweet potato fries, etc. I made homemade chicken noodle soup with them when their Dad was sick. He loved it, but they said it was gross because it had vegetables in it, and wouldn't even try a bite. I'm bringing the kids to my house this summer to help me work on my garden. Maybe that will spark some interest. :) In the end, I know they aren't mine. I can't enforce something that their dad won't, but I can encourage them to try new things!
Good for you, give it a try you don't know the positive impact you'll have even if the only eat healthier with you.
It's a mark of a good nanny. a real nanny not just a glorified babysitter who collects the cash but can't be bothered.
This might be one scenarior where'd I'd offer to do the shopping at no extra charge.
Im no health nut, but two things on this page jumped out at me. Lunch meat is extremely unhealthy as is diet soda. The meat is one of the least healthy lunch foods and its full of nitrates. The diet soda is horrible for your toddler. People who drink diet soda often increase in girth at an alarming rate, five hundred percent over ten years. When your childs belly is filled with carbonated soda, how will she know if she is hungry or thirsty?? The soda is also very bad for a little girls bones. Its garbage and its extremely unhealthy. Like I said, I am no health nut, but some things are soooo bad for you that I feel Id be almost dishonest to pretend that I don't care enough to encourage you to learn more about
what's feeding your childs or charges growing body.
Why did you delete the post I put? I am the Castro Queen!!! My comments should be on the board...I tried to make them as non-offensive as possible. If there are rules I will abide by them so I can continue to contribute.
In any case, I love you board - it is a good outlet to connect with like minded individuals.
Thanks!
Castro,
I was going to let your comments stand, although most were very sarcastic and not helpful. But the comment about another poster is what got them deleted... that was going way too far.
Feel free to comment, I do enjoy your humor, just don't be so sexually vulgar.
I will behave. I didn't mean to be vulgar. I think we all can agree that it has been a long week.
OP I share your frustration! In all my years I've only worked for ONE family where the mom truly enjoyed cooking and had a balanced approach about healthy eating and meal time. I have found in my experience that people who don't cook for their kids often have issues with food or hang ups about food often fuled by way too much information and theories they google. I have spoke with countless doctors, & nutritionists and ALL of them have said healthy eating is simple. Fresh is better than processed, & lean mean is better than fatty cuts, and variety helps please the palet. Also moderation is key! You can have cheese you just can't eat a whole brick in once sitting! I am a self professed foodie and enjoy cooking & trying new recipes so for me it's very puzzling why people don't make more of an effort especially when it can make your family feel better and exposed to new foods that are healthy & yummy. I have tried time & time again to help families do more with their kids diets but it always falls in deaf ears. Your best bet is to find things they like and include them in in the cooking process, make homemade pizzas with whole grain English muffins, fresh tomato sauce, herbs, and skim cheese. Maybe snacks like apples with natural peanut butter. I find kids usually love Mexican & Italian dishes best & there are lots of ways to make them healthier & tasty at the same time:) Good luck OP I hope this helps!
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