Honoring the Gift of Children

Feeding & Modeling Roles for Parents&

Eating Roles for Children

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Making Food and Activity Changes

Do not only point out the way, but lead the way. Sioux

Honoring the Gift of Children

Feeding & Modeling Roles for Parents &

Eating Roles for Children

• Parents’ & caretakers’ roles include what, when, & where the family eats.

• Children’s roles include how much & whether to eat.

• Parents’ & caretakers’ doing your job & letting the children do theirs.

Honoring the Gift of Children

The Parent’s & Caretaker’s role is to:

• Bring food into the home that promotes health.

• Choose & prepare the food.

• Provide regular meals & snacks.

• Ask the children to show up for family meals at the table.

• Eat with your children.

Honoring the Gift of Children

The Parent’s & Caretaker’s role is to:

• Make eating times pleasant.

• Teach about food & mealtime behavior.

• Remember to praise good manners.

• Not let children randomly eat & drink between meals & snacks.

• Trust that children know the right amount to eat.

Honoring the Gift of Children

The Parent’s & Caretaker’s role is to:

• Influence the community environments to support nutrition & physical activity that promotes health.

• Identify potential community groups that might be interested in “Honoring the Gift of Children”

Honoring the Gift of Children

Parent’s & Caretaker’s Special feeding role with an infant is to:

• Help the infant to be calm & awake during feeding– Look at her

– Talk to her

– Try to hold her firmly or loosely

– Be alert to what calms her

– Be alert to & avoid what excites her

Honoring the Gift of Children

Learn from the baby about how often, how fast or slow, & how much to feed whether breast or bottle fed.

Hunger Cues

– Cries

– Moves arms & legs excitedly

– Opens mouth & moves toward nipple or spoon

I’m Full Cues

– Falls asleep– Becomes fussy during feeding– Slows the pace of eating– Stops sucking– Spits out or refuses nipple– Bats the spoon away– Closes mouth as spoon

approaches

Honoring the Gift of Children

The child’s eating role is to:

• Eat the amount she needs.– Based on internal calorie needs

– If you don’t try to control what & how much she eats

• Eat a variety of food.– If you offer a variety of food at meals & snacks

– If you don’t try to control what & how much she eats

• Behave well at the table– If you teach & model good manners

– If you praise her good manners •

Honoring the Gift of Children

Are You Ready to Make Food & Activity Changes?

Honoring the Gift of Children

Are You Ready to Make Food & Activity Changes to Improve Health?

• Are you thinking about making healthy changes?

• Have you tried to make food & activity changes in the past?

• If not, what would have to happen for you to make changes?

• What are the barriers that keep you from changing & what might help you change?

• Would knowing more about what makes changing easier be helpful?

• Do you know anyone in your community who can help?

Honoring the Gift of Children

Making Changes

• Set small realistic goals & build on your success.

• Make changes gradually.

• Limit foods high in sugar & fat in your house.

• Teach children to be smart media viewers; have them find the sales pitch in food ads.

• Track your progress toward reaching your goal.

Honoring the Gift of Children

Making Changes• Praise your children & yourself on progress toward reaching your goals.

• Ask for help & encouragement from family, children, & friends.

• Be ready with a second plan if the first plan does not work.

• Understand that set backs are a chance to re-think your plans.

• Use non-food rewards like hugs & kisses for reaching family goals.