ONE EGG LEFT?! For a nutritious breakfast, TWO eggs is the minimum requirement! And I have but ONE, which is ONE shy of TWO! And it is TWO that I need! Curses! I must immediately purchase some eggs, for I need to have breakfast, and without the eggs I cannot have the breakfast that I so require! -- Mojo Jojo, The Powerpuff Girls
I just have a small little rant to make.
My child is not a crunchy granola health fanatic.
Yes, we eat organic.
Yes, we eat mainly homecooked foods.
I don't keep junk food in the house but we do have on occasion, organic cereal o's, homemade ice cream and dark chocolate.
We don't drink colored drinks or soda.
She is allowed a 3 ounce cut glass of grape juice every now and then as a treat.
We go out and we do eat pizza on occasion and she may even have pancakes that aren't whole wheat at the diner.
I don't deny my child anything non-processed.
If we are at a party, I let her make most of the decisions on food and she usually sticks with the good stuff.
I'd like to think that some of the decisions she is making so far reflect our views on food and health.
I know eventually peer pressure and consumerism will sneak in.
So, it annoys me to no end when I see a child at the local park at 10am after mass or on the subway eating processed crap for breakfast.
In the past three days my husband and I have witnessed children no more than 5-6 years old having a can of coke, a bag of lays and a plastic sand bucket of carmel and other junk sweets for breakfast.
Folks, are you kidding me? Do you think the most important meal of the day should be fillers with absolutely no nutritional value?
My MIL often tells us about her neighbor's grandkid who has a steady morning diet of pouched mini frosted donuts and soda. I couldn't fathom that was true and now I see folks with my own eyes giving their kids salty and sweet processed snacks for breakfast.
Now, I know we are blessed by the Lord with the ability to make what I think are healthy breakfasts for our kid and some folks may not be able to whether it's time or finance. Times are tight I know but for heavens sake, couldn't you make a quick egg for your kid? One egg. Scramble it and slap it onto a piece of bread. Mobile breakfast. Or make some oatmeal with fruit and pack it in a container to eat on the go.
Yes, my daughter sometimes tells me she doesn't want to eat breakfast but we also talk about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day. She calls it, brain fuel as we have said before in order to do the things we want to do during the day, we need the energy found in good food to keep us going.
Thankfully, she seems to understand this. Of course, it took one day of her not eating her breakfast to have her realize how grumpy she became and how hungry she was as the day went on. Yes, she doesn't always eat a full breakfast but I think that's normal too. Sometimes I don't want to eat all my breakfast either. I just remind her that if she only feels like eating a nibble, that's okay but she may feel tired and hungry earlier later on. She makes the decision whether she eats a little more and she determines the consequence.
I may not give my kid soda or fried chips but that doesn't mean you shouldn't. I'm not hear to deny you your right as a parent to do what you think is right but the next time you think about grabbing a bag of Lay's chips to give your kid for breakfast, consider saving it for perhaps an afternoon snack instead.
