The responsibilities of being a parent
Becoming a parent means taking on a whole lot of new responsibilities. Some embrace these extra responsibilities like a seasoned pro while others (like myself) fumble through like a bear in the woods with its eyes shut.
Most of us have an idea in our heads on how parenting should be, but it’s easy to get side-tracked with everyday issues such as work, fussy kids and extra-curricular activities that zap our energy and motivation. This is especially true when it comes to our children’s health. Our kids have a complicit understanding that we will provide the best nutrition we possibly can so they can experience the benefits and feelings of optimum health. This is why we should at least try to make a list of promises, even if only subconsciously, to help guide us through this world of ‘imperfect parenting’.
A list of healthy pacts every parent should aim towards
I promise to …
- show you that food isn’t a way to deal with stress;
- remind you that water is the best way to quench thirst;
- set the example of leading an active lifestyle through regular exercise;
- nourish your body with healing foods to help pick you up when you’re sick;
- be strong in knowing that sometimes what YOU want to eat is not always the right choice;
- persevere with your unwillingness to eat certain foods as I know things take time to nurture;
- model good eating habits and try to modify ones that don’t promote a healthy lifestyle to you;
- keep my own negative body issues to myself and remind you how beautiful and strong you are;
- teach you that treats should be a part of a balanced diet and something we should occasionally enjoy;
- do my best in sifting through food-labelling jargon and make an informed choice on which is a healthy option;
- amidst a busy schedule, prioritise serving you a healthy meal, even if this means hiding veggies to avoid fussiness after a long day;
- approach healthy eating as a learning experience for you and to respect that you may not like everything the first time, as long as we try;
- be positive around eating and to keep any food restriction diets to myself so I’m not portraying a belief that foods are something we struggle with;
- create awareness around the fact that healthy foods act as fuel to play and be active. Good fuel means you won’t splutter and splatter before the fun is over.
