Healthy Eating Habits

Thamizhini started to follow a routine in her eating habits. I have seen many mommies running behind their kids with their food on plates cups. They used to take food in a cup and feed to kids in the play area. And kids will be more playful and they even don't know what they eat. How bad it is and how painful it will be for the parents?

But I'm good Amma

By seeing them, I decided in the early days of Thamizhini's that I'm not going to do this and also I strictly told my parents not to feed her outside of Flat. I'm really feeling happy and little bit proud for making Thamizhini as a disciplined tot. And I'm sure that is for her good health only and nothing is wrong in restricting them on healthy food.

Yes, Amma is right, nothing wrong in healthy food!

I have got many advice (yes again, mainly from OLD ones) for Thamizhini that we have to give all kind of eatables to her. And for them Tea, Coffee, Biscuits, Bread, Mixture, Murukku (Do you worry how Thamizhini eat, with one or two teeth? No worry, some one can chew and give), Maggie, Chocolates and all kind of sweets are coming under the category of eatables and if Thamizhini likes, these can be given even daily too! Lucky Thamizhini :-)  

And for this, they say a proverb, meaning that baby will be strong and strength if they eat all junks. Not only this, the ultimate one is, whoever eat, whatever they eat and whenever they eat (3 times a day), Baby has to go and eat from their plates, If she is not ready or not liking to eat, we have to call her and force her to eat. Yuck... Uvee.... Nonsense. This is the culture and that is how they brought up the children. Hmm.. Hell and they are very proud for doing this.

I'm kid, how will I know what to eat and what not? You teach me amma.

I feel irritated with all these nonsenses and I stopped hearing them! What is the use of elders when they don't teach good eating habits? We have to teach kids that how to eat,  when to eat and what to eat? Thamizhini's pediatrician has told us to avoid all junks like biscuits, candy, cookies and snacks. She told me this when Thamizhini was six months old. Yeah, Dr knew that we start giving biscuits in that age only. From that time I restricted all junk items and limited sugar and salt too. 

Till now I have given only vegetables, fruits, milk, any porridge, chapati, chicken, fish and rice items. Nothing else. She likes to have all the vegetables, she asks for it when I start giving food like, Amma peas, amma carrot and amma mungakai (for drumstick). And she is not fussy in her meal time. She knows what she eats and she like her food. I'm happy that she takes healthy food, instead of empty calorie snacks like chips, or cookies.

Amma, I'm not interested on junk foods!

I followed simply this way: If she likes to eat, let her eat. Or wait for some more time, so that she will be hungry". This worked our for me, because as I said, I don't give biscuits, cookies, sweets or any kinda snacks. At any cast, she has to eat only vegetables, fruits, fruit juices, rice.  And I make sure that I will give her variety foods among list. Sometimes I get advice from others to give Idly + sugar if she does not like to eat. They think that will encourage her to eat. Yes, I'm sure that will encourage them to eat, but what is the use of eating just sugar? Any point? just filling babies stomach is the only goal? Hmm..  I don't add sugar to milk at all. If I count, I would have given only 10 biscuit pieces to her. I have this option open when Thamizhini is not feeling well.

As a result of this, Thamizhini is in healthy weight. So I'm convinced with, teach healthy eating habits and get healthy weight.  Also I strictly prohibit her, to get food from others plate. As I said earlier, kids used to eat their food in park / play area, sometimes they give food to other kids as other kids would be watching the one, who is eating his / her meal / snacks, or they ask like, "mum sapdriya". And obviously kids will say YES, if the food is interesting. This habit will be continued even if they go outside. And I know how dangerous this could be when they start going out.

Also I remember myself one thing, that is, this is the age for babies to make healthy habits and once they start going to school and know what others eat, then everything comes to an end. These days television commercials for junk foods are making children to eat well might seem more useless than fruitful.