Since my Baby Bites post yesterday, I have felt a little uneasy. I feel like I did not do a good job of relaying the message I was trying to send.
I don’t want to sound like a Nazi (for lack of a better term).
I’m really NOT!
I’m not sure why I decided to label my standards as “food rules” either. I truly do not believe in “food rules” and as many a reader pointed out, “rules” can be damaging in the long term, especially to young girls. I need to be careful with my words.
I suppose instead of calling them “food rules” I should just say they are a simple set of standards that myself and my husband try to live by. As Laury, my dear blogger friend pointed out, the only “rule” there should be is there aren’t many “rules.”
Although I might have to agree with this one…but I didn’t write it!
I’m not quite sure why I didn’t think of this myself because when I think about it…it’s kind of how I eat anyway. I don’t follow any “rules,” I just give myself standards. I want the BEST. I don’t always get the BEST, but I try to keep that my standard as much as my budget and time allows. I feel this is a recipe for a healthy and fit future.
I don’t even tell my clients, or family, or friends to follow “rules,” so why would I do that to my daughter?
I guess since the first year of life is SO crucial to proper growth and development, I am a little extra particular. I just want her to grow up healthy and I feel being a little extra anal in the first year of life is acceptable. The more she catches on to the world around her, the less I plan to continue being so strict and anal. It’s not my nature. I am not that anal. I eat burgers AND fries believe it or not. I cannot expect her not to!
Setting a good example and being a good influence is top priority too!
She will always see me eating big old delicious looking salads!
And even though I want her to have the BEST when it come to nutrition and fitness, I also want her to have memories of us making Christmas cookies together in the kitchen, watching movies with buttered popcorn on a Friday night, and having a girl’s night complete with junk food; M&Ms, pizza, soda, and the like! I don’t want to make a big deal about those unhealthier choices either. I just want her to know that she will feel better when she IS eating healthy most of the time, but I don’t plan to preach. I just want to give small nudges in the right direction. I hope that by eating at home, she will know what the best choices are. 
I will forever cherish times that my mom and I did these things. I LOVED our girls nights together; shopping, movies, chatting, laughing, and even a little junk food.
I hope I did a better job of explaining myself and my standards. I hope if you have been following my blog long enough, you will know that I only have the best intentions and I am not trying to sound superior by any means! That is not my nature either!
QUESTION: What are your standards? Do you follow “food rules?”
Hey!
SO glad you popped by my blog, so that I could find YOUR blog!
My hubby and I have been talking about stuff like this regarding our baby too, as I’m a very healthy eater and him, not so much… but I want a healthy balance! I’m looking forward to reading the baby bites post and excited to find your blog!! You are officially added to my reader!
Agreed. My mother was very strict when it came to food, but I still have some really wonderful memories of Sunday morning trips to get donuts or mini muffins (which I could only enjoy if I agreed to a carton of milk!). Such good times
I appreciate this follow-up, while I absolutely think that feeding your children the highest quality foods is VERY important, I think that being super strict tends to backfire. Obviously, for the next few years, you get to decide what she eats anyway!
I llove both posts and I know what you were trying to get at with the last post too! It’s so important to just be a healthy role model all around like I said before!
It is VERY important that the first year of life that babies get the very best..I also feel is molds many food and eating habits as well. Right now I feel I have a solid base for E’s healthy eating, that when she does have treats it’s not a big deal. She can go from a bite of pizza to a few bites of salad because I don’t emphasize one vs the other. Her diet is LOADED with mainly nourishing foods, but you do have to live a little..we go out to eat, go to relatives homes and birthday parties, etc. I want her to make the best choices possible, but also want her to have a healthy relationship with food!
I know you meant well and you want only the best for Hannah!
I think your food rules were great! I have rules for myself but also know that they’re flexible. I don’t see why it would be such a problem to do the same for your daughter. You want nothing but the best for her and you obviously don’t want the food you feed her to be the cause of problems down the road. If you can prevent it, why not? Go you!
Ahhh I like this post a lot better
I too want the best for my baby, but I absolutely want him to experience some treats and exceptions. Hopefully I can be a good model for what that looks like!
I didn’t think you sounded like a nazi – I though your post yesterday sounded like an informed mother who knows what this crap they all “food” can do to our bodies. Childhood can be fun without Happy Meals and Burger King!