Subject: Re: pre-diabetes: Our kids, food choices
From: Carole Beth Arnette (nautilus@ev1.net)
Date: Fri Jan 17 2003 - 10:17:41 EST
You weren't rambling. Something else, this book made the statement that when you want children to pick up the blocks, move etc, you simply say "David, I want you to pick up the blocks." You don't give children a choice, Or else you say "Children it is time to put away the blocks, move the chairs, etc." That is important, because parents should be in charge! Carole Beth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Harmon" <lisakharmon@earthlink.net> To: "Diabetes Discussion List" <diabetic@Lehigh.EDU> Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 8:41 AM Subject: RE: pre-diabetes: Our kids, food choices > Hi Carole Beth, > > You are so right. I have watched parents of my daughter's generation > "discipline" their children. So many of them just DON'T; they don't seem to > have a clue what discipline means or why it is necessary. I'm afraid that > means that my generation really fell down on the job. > > A case in point: We were at a church pot-luck, and Manda and her son, David > (4 at the time), were sitting at our table with some other families. David > was sitting down, eating quietly, occasionally adding a comment to the > conversation. Several other children his age were getting up and running > around, and their parents either kept getting up to cajole them back to the > table or ignored them completely. One mother asked Manda how she got David > to sit so nicely. Manda replied that she's bigger than he is. Every time > he got up, she simply picked him up and put him back in his chair. She > didn't argue or coax, just made it clear he was expected to sit and would be > made to do so if he didn't choose to discipline himself. It didn't take > long for him to get the message. The other mother was stunned! Isn't that > child abuse, she wondered. Manda pointed out that David was quite happy > sitting and behaving well, while the other children were fighting with their > parents, and being yelled at, and when the parents finally got to their > wits' end with their kids' behavior, some became quite harsh. More child > abuse is caused by parents who DON'T discipline properly, than by those who > do. > > I once read in a children's book (it was a Trixie Belden mystery, as I > recall) one of the teen-aged boys saying about a very spoiled little girl, > "If you have a puppy, and you don't train him, and he bites someone, it's > your fault, but it is the puppy that everybody will hate." I never forgot > that little bit of wisdom, and I tried to discipline my kids, because I > didn't want anybody to hate them. > > Unfortunately, the discipline only "took" on two out of three. So I learned > the hard way that it isn't always in the parents' hands. I raised all three > of my kids the same, and two did well, and one went his own way and ended up > a "guest" of the state. But I think he's finally getting the message > because, as a parent, I never give up. The discipline continues--it was I > who turned him in to the authorities. We will see what happens in the > future, but I am hopeful. > > What has this to do with diabetes? We have to teach our kids to eat > properly. But unfortunately, many parents don't know what eating properly > means, so their kids aren't learning the right things either. And they > won't know what to teach their kids. It's a downward spiral. We are seeing > the results of that in the growing epidemic of obesity and Type 2 and the > lower and lower age that Type 2 is manifesting. > > We, who have had to learn for our own survival, should take every > opportunity to educate others. I think David Weintraub must be a marvelous > example when he goes to the grocery store and fills up his cart with > produce. I've had people say to me in a checkout line, "What's that? Is it > any good?" It's always nice to introduce people to new things, especially > veggies. I used to wonder if people really noticed, but when I realized how > much *I* notice, I came to the conclusion that other people must notice > occasionally too. So I guess that what I'm saying is that we can be both > good examples AND be willing to give a good answer when asked. > > It's still early in the morning, and I think I'm rambling a bit. > Oh well! > All the best, > Lisa > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-diabetic@Lehigh.EDU [mailto:owner-diabetic@Lehigh.EDU] On Behalf > Of Carole Beth Arnette > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 6:07 PM > To: Diabetes Discussion List > Subject: Re: pre-diabetes: Our kids, food choices > > > I just see so many children eating what they want, when they want, etc. > Somewhere along the parenting line, I realized that parents are teachers, > and started acting accordingly. . > > Sometimes parents just give in to children because it is easier all the way > around than to take the time and energy to do what they should do > > > >
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