My little health nut

March 6, 2013

I've said this before and I will probably say it again. I am amazed at how much children absorb. And yes, I'm thinking of the Scottie's paper towel commercial where those guys dressed up in puffy white suits start jumping on spills. That's my kiddo. This morning she regaled me on the walk to preschool with a full 10 minute T.V. show, complete with two commercial breaks. The topic? How to be healthy. She divided it into three segments, first chatting about the eating healthy, then a mattress commercial, (she did all the voices) then she covered healthy drinks choices (milk and water the best and sugary choices like soda pop and another mattress commercial, and finally she talked about the benefits of exercising and used many examples about how she practises being healthy.

To say I was a bit wowed would be an understatement. It's not like the better half and I are health nuts. Sometimes we're wanna-be health nuts, but we usually undermine that with a trip to McDonald's. Or three trips to McDonald's. As parents though, we've always been trying to do our best when it comes to our daughter. We have gently taught her that healthy snacks like fruit and veggies and cheese are a better choice than candy. She drinks mostly water and milk because she think it will make her feel happy and well. And even more amazing to me as she knows when we're "treating" ourselves a bit too much. She'll call us on that second trip eating out in a week or suggest that we get apple slices and salad instead of fries this time. "Or maybe Mommy," she'll say. "Can we have some fruit with yogurt for dessert? I already had some cookies today."

In the morning if she's ever asked why I'm doing this exercise or that one, I'll tell her to get stronger, or feel better, or get faster so I can keep up with her. Perhaps we're a little too honest when we say we want to get healthier so we can live longer and spend more time with her and do all the things she can do. But at the same time, we are very careful with what we tell her.

I think I would be more alarmed if I was teaching her something else, perhaps if I uttered "I'm fat," or "I don't like my body," etc. around her that's the message that she would absorb. I'm glad we talk about being healthy. I'm hoping it's a message that she keeps throughout her life and continues to feel good about who she is.