I’ll be the first to admit. I want to be healthier in 2008.
I’ve already started formulating my game plan: smaller meal portions and regular exercise.
My husband is interested as well. He wants to start Tuesday morning because the national championship game between LSU and Ohio State is tonight. He needs his gumbo and sausage po’ boys to get through tonight’s game.
Our 18-year-old son is signing up for “be healthier in 2008″ as well. He started running to shed some extra weight kept on through high school football season.
While I applaud our decision to be in good physical shape, I understand that the only decision I am truly responsible for is my own. We’re all adults in our household, and whether we hold to our decisions to be healthier is up to the individual.
Not so in my friend Kimberly’s household. She has young, impressionable children at home. She still has complete control over how many green things appear on a dinner plate and a certain amount of sway as to who actually eats them. The adults in a child’s life must take the responsibility of teaching and modeling for the next generation concerning how to live well.
Food. If you’ve heard that whole wheat is better than white bread, why are you still feeding the kids peanut butter on white?
Drink. I think most everyone on the planet has heard that water is a good choice of beverage for all of us. So why do we insist on giving swigs of sweet tea, sugary juices and Coke to our kids? This is no joke. Two weeks ago I actually witnessed a young father give his no more than 1-year-old daughter several drinks from his Coke bottle. What was this guy thinking?
Exercise. I’ll tread lightly on this one because I’m guilty of not engaging in regular exercise and have paid the price by carrying around extra weight for most of my adult life. Because I didn’t model a daily exercise routine to my children, they’ve had to come around slowly and figure out for themselves how important it is for good health. Require your kids to be involved in some physical activity.
Sleep. Sissy practically falls asleep in her cereal bowl each morning. So why is she continually allowed to stay up past her bedtime?
I’m hammering on the things we know to be true. Unfortunately it’s too convenient to turn a blind eye to them.
The truth is we need more than the temporary changes inspired by short-lived resolutions; we need a total transformation.
We need to change the way we look at health, for ourselves and our kids.
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