Healthy Children: The Teen ChallengeChildren begin puberty and adolescence at different ages. As mentioned in chapter one, some start very early while others are late bloomers. No matter when they begin, your children will be going through a lot of growth during this period, not just physical growth but emotional and intellectual growth as well. This is the time when children begin to assert more independence, make decisions about who they are, and begin shaping the adult they will become. Most parents see the teen years as their next big challenge after the terrible twos. The stereotypical teen is one who has mood swings, is angry at the world, and is a deviant. Majority of teens are not like this, though, and most parents will have teens who are just confused about what they're going through and what they're going to be in a few years. A bit of confusion may come with some mood problems, but realistically not every teen has an attitude problem worth sending to boot camp. The teen years are the time that children become very thoughtful about what the future will bring. Big decisions like where to go to college are made during the teen years, and it can be scary for some teens. They try on different roles or attitudes in an attempt to find themselves, and parents shouldn't be surprised if they begin to spend more time with friends. As a parent, think about the time you were a teen and how you felt. Chances are, you will better understand what your child is going through, and what they worry about. Choose what you fight about with your teens. Things like changing the way they dress are just phases, and trust that they will grow out of it. If you had set good lines of communication with your children while they were young, these lines are likely to stretch when they're teens, but they will definitely still be there. And when your teen really has a problem, they will still turn to you for help. Apart from these lines of communication, the other things parents can rely on is that their teens are used to sharing meals with the family. If this habit has been formed, then chances are that teens will continue to have dinner with their parents out of comfort and habit. The other thing all parents can rely on is that their teens will be idealistic. The habit of eating as a family and the idealistic nature of teenagers is what will help the push towards healthy eating. Teens aim for the ideal because they are optimistic about the world around them, and what they are capable of. If you promote healthy eating as part of the ideal, as a way that they can be the best that they can be in the future, then your teens are likely to respond well to it. Talk to them about the benefits of healthy eating, and how it continues to help them. Your teens are capable of being just as rational and objective as you are, so take advantage of this. Discuss healthy eating with them like they were little adults, and they will appreciate that you are treating them as such. As a parent, getting your teen to eat healthy will help you in raising them. Healthy food and exercise can lessen your teen's mood swings because a well balanced diet can help people's moods, and the endorphins (a happy brain chemical) that are released from exercise will also help keep your teens happy and positive. A healthy diet will also help them achieve more in school. This is because their brain is getting all the nutrients it needs to function at its best. Feeling good, looking good and having social achievements can all be benefits of having a healthy diet, and these three things will do a lot for a teen's self-esteem which is often very fragile during these years. If your teens have been eating healthy foods since they were children, there is little work for you to do. They should be used to the rules of your home by now, and they will know that when they are at home, the food will be healthy. There may be objections from them every once in a while about eating other types of food. This is probably because they know what their friends are eating, and they want to eat the same things to be able to fit in. Just stay constant with your healthy eating rules, and your children will learn to respect that. |
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How To Get Your Kids To Eat Healthy Food - Without A Fight!
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