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Are All American Kids Picky Eaters?

Published May 15, 2012 | By Carolyn Henderson

So apparently there’s this new book out on French parents, and how they raise their kids – ooh la la – so much better than we dumb Americans.

Granted, the average trip to the grocery store emphasizes that there are a lot of brats out there, but there don’t have to be, and they don’t have to be our kids.

“French children, unlike American children, eat whatever is put in front of them,” we are told, which is impressive since the French eat snails, but maybe, sautéed and breaded, snails taste like chicken. (Am I stereotyping here? Maybe, but isn’t it a stereotype as well that all American children are picky eaters?)

Your kids can eat what’s put in front of them, too, and while it’s not a fail-safe, 100 per cent sure method, here are a few steps to ensure that they do:

If they don’t like what’s on the table, give them two choices: what’s on the table or an acceptable alternative (we always chose a banana) that is not a separate meal of its own. If they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat.
Once the meal is over, it’s over, and there’s no food or appealing snack (other than the banana) until next time.
Provide soups, stews, stir fries, casseroles and other “jumbled together” fare as opposed to meat/starch/vegetables in separate compartments in their trays. When dreaded food, like vegetables, are incorporated into the whole dish, they’re less easy to pick out and discard. Through the years, we’ve noticed that our children’s friends who eat the American style meats and potatoes with boiled grey vegetables languishing on the side, are more picky.
Cook from scratch more, as opposed to opening cans, boxes, and tubes. The sodium, sugar, and artificial flavorings of packaged food deaden the taste buds to the taste of real food.
Don’t cook one way for yourself, and one way for the kids. Eat right and eat well, both generations.

Written by Carolyn Henderson

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Toddlers and Their Frustrating Eating Habits

Published March 21, 2012 | By Carolyn Henderson

The Homemakers Magazine - Toddlers Eating Habits I just got off the phone with a young mom whose toddler declared war on lunch, dinner, breakfast, and anything else she put in front of him.

“I told him he had to stay at the table until he finished, but it’s not working,” she lamented. “I feel like this has turned into something more than a battle over food.”

That’s pretty much it. Life with toddlers, who are experimenting with what they can, and cannot, do, is fraught with their testing the limits, pushing harder to see if the barriers you set up will still stand, and going at it again.

“Put the food away,” I advised her. “Extricate yourself from this situation by saying something like, ‘That’s enough for now. I’ll put your lunch in the fridge and you can warm it up for later.’”

And then, later when he’s hungry, offer him the following choices:

The lunch plate, warmed up.
The lunch plate, not warmed up. It’s his choice, and diverting attention from the lunch plate de-emphasizes the initial battle.
A piece of fruit, glass of milk, cup of yogurt, or some other healthy snack.

Chips, cookies, gummy fruit snacks – anything junky, artificially flavored, and from a box aren’t a good idea in this situation. (Actually, they’re not a good idea out of this situation either, training your toddler’s taste buds to expect high salt, high sugar, and high impact flavors over the more subtle offerings of a banana, orange, cottage cheese, scrambled egg – normal food.)

At the end of the day, if the lunch plate is still hanging around, get rid of it and start the next day without this particular battle.

To avoid the battle in the future:

Stay calm and pleasant.
Present a small amount of whatever food is being served.
To ensure that the child arrives at the table ready to eat, avoid serving snacks between meals, but if he’s hungry, make sure that the snack you offer is a healthy one. That way, if he refuses lunch or dinner again, you know that he has eaten at least something that’s good for him.
If he doesn’t want to eat, then he doesn’t want to eat. Don’t make a big deal out of it, but don’t offer him an alternative meal either.
Recognize that life with a toddler changes not only from one day to the next, but moment by moment. This is the testing ground for today. Stand firm.

Written by Carolyn Henderson

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Toy Safety 101

Published December 2, 2011 | By Laura Vryhof

Toy safety has been an ongoing concern for every parent who reads the paper or listens to the news. It helps to understand whether a toy is safe for your child’s age. Small parts present a choking hazard and certain plastics can be toxic. Here are some thoughts about toy safety to help you keep on top of things.

1) Choose Better Quality Toys

It stands to reason that the cheaper toys are often not manufactured by companies who value quality over quantity. While a higher price does not always mean the quality is better, more often than not, a more expensive toy will be a safer toy. Most of the countries that toy manufacturing is outsourced to do not have the strictest safety regulations, these toys may contain easily swallowed small parts or lead and other chemicals that you do not want your children exposed to. It is a good idea to check out the manufacturer before you purchase the item and that is good advice whether you are buying toys or any other product.

2) Always Check Age Recommendations

Use the age recommendations that toy manufacturers provide as a guideline. You know your child best so even if they are older than the recommended age but still tend to put things in their mouths, it is a good idea to keep them away from toys with small parts. You may also choose to let a younger child who is more advanced or careful play with a toy recommended for a higher age but only under supervision. Toy manufacturers do extensive testing but the fact is that they don’t know your child so while they can give you very good advice, the choice must be yours.

3) Be Aware of Recalled Toy Lists

As with any product, toys get recalled for various reasons. Sometimes due to accidents, or some toxic hazard that the manufacturer finds. There are websites where you can stay on top of toy recalls including:

If you buy a toy that turns out to have a problem, don’t hesitate to report it to one of these agencies.

4) Check Out All Toys Before You Buy

It may be less expensive to purchase a toy online than in the store, but it is a good idea to go to your local toy or box store and check out the toys yourself. A visual inspection can often tell you whether a toy will be suitable for your child and when you can, take the time to handle the toys to feel if they are well built and safe.

5) Be Aware Unhealthy Substances

Toys are often made of plastic or rubber and some of these can contain substances that are toxic to your child. Among these substances are lead paint, phthalates and certain types of plastic. Lead paint has been abolished in the United States as have the phthalates found in some rubber duckies, or balls; but that does not mean that imported toys are free of these ingredients. BPA found in plastics with numbers 3,6 and 7 give off toxins that our bodies absorb. Babies put everything in their mouths and this puts them at higher risk for absorbing toxins from these plastics.

Many older toys will still contain BPA or phthalates so check used toys carefully. Even toys with recycling numbers 1, 2 and 5 must be kept away from high heat which will cause them to release toxins. Some cleaning supplies will also break down the plastic and allow your child to absorb toxins. It is best to use mild detergent and water.

Wood and cloth toys present their own hazards but tend to be much safer than plastic toys in the long run.

Don’t let this advice on toy safety for children overwhelm you. If you make the effort to get educated about the risks and start choosing healthy toys, it will soon become a habit.

Written by Laura Vryhof

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Backpack Misuse Causes Child Back Pain

Published September 1, 2011 | By Laura Vryhof

The Homemakers Magazine - Child Back Pain School is starting up again for the fall term and this means children everywhere will be loading up their backpacks and heading off to classes. They will also begin experiencing back pain from of the misuse of backpacks. Every day you see children walking to school carrying a backpack over one shoulder, filled to the brim with books and other heavy items. Parents may not realize the amount of weight children carry or even the need to warn them to use backpacks correctly and the result is children with back pain.

The American Chiropractic Association reported increased incidents of back pain in children and suggested the following measures to reduce the effects.

What Can You Do?
The ACA offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.

Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.
Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will be.
Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child’s shoulders.
The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.

Although the use of rollerpacks - or backpacks on wheels – has become popular in recent years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips and falls.

Written by Laura Vryhof

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