Guest guest Posted September 3, 2003 Report Share Posted September 3, 2003 Well, I guess I can't stand it anymore... So, here goes... I was raised on very little junk food because we never had the money for it. A can of soda or a fast food ANYTHING was reserved for very special occasions...just didn't have the money. We had the best home made cobblers, ice cream, and stuff like that. But, for some reason we just didn't appreciate that like we did that occasional can of coke or cake. (Now, I'd give both arms and legs for one piece of my grandma's black berry cobbler with home made ice cream, though! And worry about how to dip that hard stuff later!) Anyway, both my brother and I had things we didn't like. He didn't care for spinach or liver, and I would die before eating liver! But, both of us then did and still do eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies. Not nearly enough, but we don't gag just on sight. Now, my husband was raised on meat and potatoes or rice and beans. Nothing else...I'm not kidding. Today, he will eat some beans, but not all. And, he will eat corn, green beans and mashed potatoes. Put some instant potatoes in front of him and he thinks he's done something really bad to deserve this kind of insult. And, just cooking broccoli in the house makes him sick to his stomach. And, that's not an exaggeration either. He will eat chili if everything but the meat is put into a blender, but will not eat ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise. He eats absolutely nothing spicy or even remotely so, except on the rare occasion I get to force TT down him. This is only second to his fear of doctors. He won't drink any kind of juice, but gladly drinks Kool aid if there's no clean water where ever he's at the time. He hardly eats bread, but when he does..it's four or five pieces at the time. And, he will eat some plain fish, but not any kind of shell fish or catfish. And, getting him to eat steak is like getting me to eat liver...it just ain't happening. His sweet tooth isn't that picky. He'll eat most anything home made and just about anything store bought. His favorite is peanut butter. Whether it be crackers, or chicken or beans. He covers all three with the stuff. Now, you can imagine that we are totally different in our thoughts on feeding kids. But, over the years, we have come to an agreement. When I cook, the kids usually eat. There is snacking around this house but not two hours before a meal is cooked. If they don't eat at least a good part of their meal, they don't get any thing else to eat until the next meal. Now, not a whole lot of junk is brought into this house. My husband gets most of his at work. I'm sorry, but I just don't believe in allowing kids or grown ups for that matter to survive on junk. Now, there is a few conditions to all this. When I cook, I make sure that I cook something that everyone will eat. And, when I fix the kids plates, I always ask if they want this or that. And, I always put one spoon of what ever it is, not a heaping helping like for Wayne. I'd rather them get seconds than to waste food. My brother has spent a many a night at the table asleep because he didn't finish his plate, and I will die and go straight to (you know where) before I do that to anybody. My worst pet peeve about raising kids is when I see a kid that won't eat anything that is good for them. I have a niece and nephew that will only eat chips, candy or canned soup, hamburger helper, or the like. I have a brother in law that brags about not eating anything that comes out of the ground. And another that won't eat anything that is green or yellow. Now, I am a firm believer that if you raise a kid on cereal with bananas and spagettios you are crazy for expecting them to eat anything else. My kids were raised on what ever I ate. My boy eats most anything that I will, and some where he got the taste for liver, but he don't get it at this house except at Thanksgiving or when ever I cook a whole chicken or Turkey and it comes with one. He will eat beef liver like most folks eat hamburgers and he's only six years old. But, my two daughters aren't nearly as free with their taste buds. They both eat more than most kids in my husband's family, but not as much of a variety as my son or myself. And, it is my rule that you HAVE to take one bite of anything new. It can be spit out in the trash if the taste is too repulsive and nothing else is ever said, unless I forget which one doesn't like what. That's where the picking which they want comes from, because I can barely remember what all my husband will and won't eat, much less all the kids (we have six altogether). I agree with part of what Dr. Phil says. If a kid gets hungry enough, they will eat. That's exactly how I came to like sardines. We were swimming one day, we were all starving too death and there was nothing but sardines and soda crackers. And the grown ups made it clear that we wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. So, I made do. And, to this day, I have to pick the guts and bones out, but I still eat sardines with crackers and salt. I guess you could break my beliefs down into a couple of sentences: Don't have anything in the house you don't want your kids to eat. Don't allow them to eat two hours before a meal. If they don't eat supper, they don't get any junk or snacks later. I don't force my kids to eat anything they don't like. I allow them to choose which of what they want to eat at all times. Always, always...start off with what you want your kids to eat early in life. Don't wait until they are eating on their own to introduce something new or good for them. And, it is my experience that everything from cereal to liver is an acquired taste these days. Just because they don't like it the first time when they are babies, doesn't mean they won't grow to like it. Don't force it, but keep offering it. My kids will eat broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, squash, tomatoes, okra, just about any veggie. But, sometimes they don't have the taste for that particular veggie at that particular meal, so they aren't forced to eat it. I don't allow food to be a control issue in my house. I control what comes into the house, they control what goes into their belly. It's just that simple. We all have a say in what gets cooked that night. I pick the meat because I know what Wayne will and won't eat, and the kids each pick a veggie. That way, I know everyone will eat something that night. There had been times when I'd go to fix eggs and they get to pick whether they want them scrambled or fried. My boy was going through this wishy-washy stage. After I'd get it scrambled, he'd want his fried. Well, what ever he chooses he has to eat now, I was getting tired of having to eat which ever he changed his mind on. There is one time when they are allowed to eat other things than what's cooked at supper for everyone else. When they are sick, they can have soup and jello and frozen fruit juice sticks. But, I don't allow just anything even then. When kids are hungry, if given a choice, they will eat something. The secret to this is what the choices are to begin with and how you lay them out. That's my opinion and what has worked for us, even with such wide differences in mine and Wayne's taste buds. Have a good day, Angel All incoming and outgoing scanned with NAV (and now AVG) for both our protection. - karly herbal remedies Wednesday, September 03, 2003 9:46 AM RE: [herbal remedies] Dark under eyes I wasn't going to respond to this because I didn't think I had any valuable info...I still might not,but after reading about Dr. Phil's ways,I thought...why not. I was and am a picky eater...I was 9 years old before I was able to eat an entire McDonalds small hamburger. My parents of coarse tried various ways to entice me..threaten me...etc. When I was 8 they put me through tests (gi's) and discovered that I have a peptic ulcer. From there on they knew that certain food "Hurt" my stomach and of coarse was put on a bland food diet. It helped...and then as I grew up more I was allowed to eat what I wanted...to an extent of coarse. There was the Main meal on the table...along with extras that I might like in case I couldn't eat the Main part,such as a big choice of side dishes...vegetables,pasta's etc. As for the part of Dr. Phil's eat it now or starve...I totally disaggree...Like me,with an ulcer,I would eat til I was full,and then a little while later I would be hungry again,and I was allowed to eat because my Mom understood the nature of my ulcer. I grew up just fine...I have no deficits from this diet or rather way of eating. And also as for trying EVERYTHING at least once...I think that is great for adventerous people who make those decisions for themselves...not for everyone though. I have never tried...calamari,shark,salmon,octopus,bear,tripe,etc...and i never will...but it didn't hurt me one bit not to have tried these things. And you might not understand your childs reasons for NOT trying certain foods. In todays world there is no telling what they have learned about things...and the more knowledge they have on animals,etc...the more rights they should have to make these choices for themselves...like I said...to a certain extent. I hope everyone understands what I am trying to get across here? Karly Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and toprescribe for your own health. We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as they behave themselves. Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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