When I reached my friend Nina’s place I saw her persuading her son to have his food. He had not eaten anything after coming from school. He wanted to have pizzas not home cooked dal and rice. Nina was trying desperately to make him eat home cooked food. She was even telling —I shall feed you with my hand but her son was not ready to listen to her. This is a common situation for most of us and most of the time the parents are forced to buy the or children outside food, in order to make them eat.
I have done a survey and found out that the reasons for our children eating outside food lies in the very institution called family.
The biggest reason is nuclear family. In most families we see one or two children living with their parents and hence they get more attention. Parent try hard to make their children eat food and for this they run after them. The children also come to understand that their parents can go to any extent to make them eat food.. If the child has not eaten one thing then the mother brings another food. Thus the children start feeling important and demand whatever they want to eat.
Today in most families both parent work outside in order to earn a better living. They do not have time to cook at home and 3-4 days in a week they eat outside or have packaged food. The children follow them.
Television and cable also advertise about different food products available in market and the children get tempted with the Ad.
When ever we visit any family or friend we tend to carry chips, chocolates for kids. Similarly people visiting us brings these for our kid as a token of love
It is actually very easy to control children from not having fast food nad packaged food. For this we need to guide the children from the beginning.
Try to give children nutritious food since childhood. Parent should not eat junk and fast food in front of children neither should they bring it in home. Try to give variety by adding salad, curd, fruit juices or chat made out of fruit.
Do not watch television while having food and Try to put a limitation on television watching. Fix a particular time. Engage your children in outdoor games. This will make them feel hungry and they will eat what ever is provided.
Tell them very clearly what they can eat and what they cannot.
Always give your children home cooked food for Tiffin. The teachers should also motivate children not to have food from canteen.
Eat together, family that eat together stays healthy and happy.
