For anyone who has toddlers or school age children....
#286091 - 10/11/06 05:52 PM
|
|
|
|
|
line415
Reged: 09/09/06
Posts: 976
Loc: New Jersey
|
|
|
Before having my first child, my husband and I ate pretty terribly. I can honestly say that I never even went down the produce aisle except to maybe get a head of lettuce and some tomatoes and cucumbers. I was raised in a home where my mom fried EVERYTHING! (In fact, I think some of my IBS developed from these terribly eating habits.) Anyhow, I was determined not to raise my kids that way, so I have always given my 5 year old and 2 year old whole grains, lots of veggies, fruit, etc.. The problem I'm having now is that with this diet, I need to eliminate many whole grains for myself and it seems hypocritical to serve them whole wheat bread and then sit there and eat a slice of white in front of them (I honestly would prefer the ww now since I'm finally used to it!). My son just turned 5 so I can't really explain my IBS to him...besides, I am paranoid about making him think that he might get a stomach ache from one of these foods. I have such anxiety myself, that I try really hard to keep conversation or incidents involving BMs very nonchalant and matter of fact. He is the type of child who will worry too...if I have a headache, a few days later he might complain of one...see where this is going. Also, until I found this website, I have always eaten these things in front of my son so I can't suddenly say that I have an allergy (which he understands from peanut butter bans at school). I don't want to even mention D to him...he really doesn't even know what it is!! (Bless him!) My two year old can't respond yet, but she is an excellent observer of course even at her young age. So I'm just wondering how you justify to your children why you are not eating the cantaloupe as a snack or having plain English muffins instead of whole grain. Thanks.
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
...one of the girls I take care of just turned 4 and I've talked to her about the foods I eat and why I eat them. She understands that I have a "special" tummy that is different from other people and that I have to eat certain foods so I don't get a tummy ache. Initially she didn't believe me and tried to prove that my tummy is, in fact, no different from anyone elses. After we talked about it a few times with me acting like it's no big deal and talking about how I just eat a little different than she does she let it go and now, even though she doesn't understand why, she knows that I eat different food and she's okay with it. She's also one of those kiddos that has every ailment the people around her have but after she got used to the idea of my tummy being different than hers she dropped it.
--------------------
***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you for your response. I'll give the "special tummy" thing a try. One of my son's teammates can't have milk products so maybe I can use him as an example.
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Just wondering if you are preventing your kids from having any white bread at all? It's good to keep some variety around, make some sandwiches with whole wheat, some with white, and let them have both. I don't see any reason not to let kids have white bread.
Other than that, I agree with the 'special tummy' or 'funny tummy'.
--------------------
Kat
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I have four kids between the ages of 14 and 7. As I have been lactose intolerant for, oh, all of their 'remembering', I've always been a pretty careful regarding what I can/cannot eat.
When my IBS kicked it up a notch last fall, the changes I made and continue to make really don't cause much of a ripple b/c I was already pretty high maintenance, food wise.
That I now get up in the morning and eat oatmeal everyday is an oddity... I have always skipped breakfast - always... so we are all eating breakfast together for a nice change.
My dinners have almost always been different on the whole - if I make them something with dairy (enchiladas! pizza! etc...) I will have something else - usually a salad, as I can eat lettuce, at the same time they're eating. But often our main meal is something everyone can eat. We lean more and more towards vegetarianism - vegan burgers on the grill with fake cheese (for me) to cut out a lot of the fat (which is my worst offender)... and the kids have been pretty good about not fussing if they 'taste different'.
One of my kids has turned out to be pretty lactose intolerant herself - developed moreso over the last year as well - so we're leaning more and more to all non-dairy things which makes it even easier for me.
However, I continue to provide the kids with things they love to eat: whole grains, fruits and vegetables, even if I don't eat them myself. I also don't tend to eat things that I wouldn't want them to have... like sliced white bread... on a regular basis.
(We'll buy a loaf of french bread... or vienna... or baguettes made at the store when we eat 'white bread'.)
I think, too, that my diet isn't limited enough in the "good things", that they could look at it and say, 'well, I'm not going to eat it if you don't!' If I provide enough choices, to include the things I can eat, and the things they can eat, they don't notice, so much, that I'm not eating ALL of it because I have SOME of it.
Overall, my kids tastes pretty diverse and I've found that as long as I provide them with what they have grown accustomed to eating - what they like, and what is good for them, with an occasional treat every now and then (we all need them!) my dietary differences aren't noticed quite so much.
(My 6yo asked for a box of cherry tomatoes as a treat at the grocery store the other day... while the other one asked for popscicles... the 6yo at the tomatoes first and then had a popscicle.)
Choices, choices, choices!
Good luck finding a balance... it will all work out!
michelle
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Yes, I do let my kids eat white bread in the form of and italian loaf or hard roll or something but our sliced bread is usually whole wheat, multi-grain, or oatmeal. I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I probably feel more focused on it now b/c I am in the beginning stages and not really putting too much IF in my diet yet, as I am nervous about the IF/SF balance. Once I feel safe to eat those foods along with them, I'm sure it will get better. My son saw me trying like three different brands of soy/almond, etc. milk this morning!..it didn't seem to phase him to much. Thanks everyone.
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi, I think we have to be careful when saying we "let" out kids eat this or that. I come from a family of disordered eating (dad, sister and myself) and it was rooted in the fact that we were "allowed" to eat certain things and not others or else carefully watched when we did make our "own" choices. Eating is a natural activity as well as a vital one and enjoyable. I think for myself I tried to just keep eating as natural as possible for my children while they were growing up and they made really good choices when left to their own appetities. Nothing was taboo and I found it all worked out well - they are both young adults now and eat very well rounded healthy diets - as far as my own special preferences in foods to help my IBS - they really never gave it a second thought after I explailned it to them - we just carried on eating and making meals. I think the important things was that we were together. just my own thoughts. IBS-C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Very true. I do "let" my children indulge often and just try to explain to them which foods are good for your body to help you grow and stay healthy and which foods are better off eaten just once in a while with no ill effect. My son makes decent choices, but at 5 years old, I must say that he is extremely influenced by other kids who eat junk all day long (juice, cookies,chips, etc..) so I have to pull in the reigns sometimes b/c I'm afraid it will get out of control. Glad to hear that your children are well-rounded eaters now. I appreciate your advice.
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
