[crysdawn]

It amazes me to see (and hear) how many parents don't realize THEY are the ones in control of what their toddler eats. I am all for respecting giving choices to our kids, helping them learn how to make decisions and be independent. I realize I can control the choices I give them - you can have apple slices or peaches; instead of offering them candy or McDonald's. If you continually offer them good, healthy choices in all areas of their life, you will be amazed at how they will learn to choose good food on their own, as they get older. Has anyone else experienced this wonderful phenomenom?

[Alejandros Mommy]

Our Alejandro has eaten healthy his 7yrs...though at times we do have treats such as Nana's delicious cookies He knows the importance of eating healthy and tends to prefer the "healthy" choices rather then what he calls "Junky food". I'm glad that we started eating healthy when he was young. In the age of childhood obesity I want our children to be able to "think" for themselves and know what is the best choice for them.

So the answer to your question...yes it does work! Keep up the good work!

[froggles_fi]

Me, I'm the fussiest eater and don't eat salads myself but always offer them to Tristan when they are there, unfortunately he is taking after me in that area instead of daddy. My parents ate salad I just never liked it even as a kid. I really wish he would eat it though!

[CynthiaButterfly]

I eat very healthy at home, and I have snacks where DS can reach them (graham crakers, yogurt, fruit, cheese, etc) which makes it easier for him to eat healthy- because I just don't keep junk food in the house. He usually will eat fruit as a snack, and we always have heathly meals, because I cook 90% of them (DH will make a few, and we eat out 1-2 times a week)
DH on the other hand likes his cookies, pork rinds, cokes, so he has to go out and get them if he wants them, because we don't keep them in the house, and he usually shares with DS. Also DS only eats junk food at my mom's house- she has ice cream in her freezer and chocolate in her purse, and offers it to him as soon as we get there. MIL feeds him healthy, and doesn't have junk food at her house either.
So if he's eating healthy at least 75% of the time, it's balanced pretty well. Also, the only thing he asks me for in the grocery store is yogurt! even if we pass the cookies and sugary cereals.

[Firespice]

OOOO I love this thread! I personnaly have always made a very BIG effort to cook healthy foods for my stepdaughter (she is 10 now and i have had her since she was 3) I do this for one big reason. Her Bio-mom will not cook healthy foods. the best or closets to healthy she gets as bio-mom is hambergure helper and occationally steaks. Never a salad or vegtibales, and most days they eat fast food for dinner (for breakfast my SD preffers chocloate muffins) and my SD hardly ever exersizes!!!!!!!!!!!! her school doesnt make them work out even once a week!!!! sigh!!!!!!!!! she is getting SOOO fat, and i am NOT kidding. it runs in her blood as well as high blood pressure and diabeties. I am REALLY scared for her. I have taughter her how to eat healthey and when ever she is away from me she will always choose a cookie. BUT if she is near me - she knows what is expected and will as for some healthy foods. (PS hubby lets her get away with junk food, so she will eat the cookie with him too - he is a bad influnce, i am cooking healthy for that BIG kid too - he was as bad as her when i met him!!! now he eats (and loves) alot of foods)

So i guess its also what you except your children to do.

As for this little one on the way.... first its Breastfeeding and then onto whole natural foods. we will eat out occasionaly, but i preffer to save out money and go somewhere like dennys or sizler , i know not the best but better then taco bell or mcdolands. i will have one dessert a week, like a cake or a batch of cookies. but that is cause i crave it - so i am trying to lesson that bad habbit as well.

it is enteresting to note.... when i first got SD, bio-mom told me the olny thing she could get her to eat was mcdoanlds and spaggitti ..... yea well i didnt LET her do that. I put food infront of her and if she was hungery she had to eat it. msot days she would and liked it. A few days she was being stuborn .... she is a tricky little kid and can through up on demand - so she would though up and say "see it tast to bad!!!!" the funny thing about that is, the few meals she tried that with - are her favorite ones now!!!! KIDS!!!

So its all about what the parent will teach them - and kids KONW what is excepted of them.

sorry to rambel on - its just scares me what parents LET kids do these days, you can see real quick who is in controlle parents or kiddos. (my very best friend is SUPER guilty of this too ... now she has a 12 year old that only eats 5 foods!!!!!) (that does NOT count the many verities of candy this kid eats, and the doc has warned her about childhood diebeteis and she is very overweight)

HUGS
suzie