There are so many things happening in children’s lives that are outside of parents’ control, so it’s understandable that parents can go a little bonkers over issues they can control, like food. Some moms and dads worry so much about “proper” nutrition that they can suck the fun right out of one of life’s greatest pleasures — eating what we love.
Pediatric emergency room physician Dr. Dina Kulik said sugar, carbohydrates and processed foods, for example, trigger far more fear than they deserve. “In realistic amounts, and within an overall balanced diet, they’re not the villains they’re often made out to be,” she said. “The stress and restriction around these foods can be more harmful than the foods themselves.”
Many pediatricians are parents themselves, and they often have a more relaxed attitude about what their kids eat than you might expect. Here are some of the surprising things that show up at their dinner tables:
Fast Food
“We stop for fast food occasionally,” said Dr. Debra Langlois, a pediatrician at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. “I’m a working parent; so when I get out of work late, and my children have an activity I need to get them to, they still have to eat. It’s important for all of us parents to remember that we’re doing the best we can. We need to give ourselves some grace as we strive to give children a healthy lifestyle that includes nutrition and physical activity.”
