Setting: Me, standing on a soapbox...

Let's go back in time to October 1, 2008. Yes, just a few days ago. I shared a story about pop (soda to some of you out there) drinking and my want to share it with my son for one split second. Yesterday at the park I was chatting with a woman who has a girl about the age of Russell. Maybe a year younger. She was asking about picky eating habits, if naps are still taken, and school. She seemed very nice and intelligent. Then she said, "I allow ____ to drink fruit flavored soda since it is so similar to drinking juice. Take away the bubbles and it's practically juice. ____ loves it." WHAT!!!??? It's no wonder childhood obesity is on the rise. Now before we go much further and people start calling in (calling in??) with complaints, yes, I have let Russell drink pop before. As a special treat, VERY rarely, not on a daily basis or as a substitute for 100% juice/milk/water (or when I was not looking. I know who you pop sneakers are...I'm a mom now, I know all, right?). This woman's comment is on repeat in my head. I can't stop thinking about what she said and how many other parents out there have the same ideas she does. This goes beyond just pop.

20% of children are obese in America. Someone (parents??) is to blame for giving kids these bad food choices. School snacks consist mainly of store bought cookies or cakes. Even on Sunday morning when Russell and Max head downstairs for Sunday school, their teacher gives them a handful of chocolate chip cookies for their morning snack. Maybe I'm crazy and maybe I was raised in a wacky house (I don't think I was), but when I think of a snack, I picture, dare I say, an apple, celery and peanut butter or cheese and crackers. Keep treats as TREATS, just a small taste as just a small taste and snacks healthy.

I'm not anti-sugar completely. I understand that part of being a kid is trying these tasty things and sneaking them when you can. I guess it concerns me when parents, who are supposed to be the go to person for all information learned by a child, have bad information themselves and think pop is anywhere close to juice, or fruit snacks are close to fruit. Kids have enough energy without the added high fructose corn syrup that is planted into EVERYTHING (really check it out sometime). I DO let my kids have a cookie or a dish of ice cream for a treat, but really, everyday, several times a day?


I would sneak plenty of sugar as a child, but my mom and dad never willingly gave it to me if they knew I had not eaten healthy food before the treat. I recall sitting at the kitchen table, mad that everyone else got to eat tapioca pudding, while I sat starring at a pile of peas I was NOT going to eat. But it taught me that veggies were not something that could be negotiated. You had to eat them, and guess what....I actually grew to like them (shhhhhh). Kids can grow to like veggies/fruit/real juice/milk, but they have to be offered these things first.

So all in all, thank you Max for turning your nose up at the thought of pop. I guess somethings I try to instill in you (good eating habits) are actually taking hold.