Help with kids...

First let me start by saying my son is my world..The sun rises and sets with him and everything in my life revolves around him...with that said..I feel like I have done him a huge diservice over the last 10 years..He has been living with me and learning my terrible eating habits..He is now a very picky eater and only eats things that are terrible for him..and all of it is my fault!!..He learned all of his habits from watching me!!..Now that I have started my journey into eating heathier and getting daily exercise, How do I help him to move along this journey with me?..I know that I do the shopping and I can just simply quit buying..and for the most part, I have...but how do I just take from him what I created?!...I feel terrible guilt and know I need to help him change..I know that I am the parent....I know all this, but how do I make the transition easier for him? I want to put a stop to this nonsense before it is a lifelong battle...I have been there..and I am still fighting...
Thanks in advance ladies....

I don't have (human) kids and don't have advice for you. I just want to tell you that it's wonderful that you're at least aware of what's happened with your son and his eating habits. I think that your awareness greatly increases the chances of the two of you being able to gradually improve his eating, especially as you go on setting him a better example.

Good luck!
Jean

I just want to point out that from what I have observed the parent's eating habits aren't necessarily passed down to the kids.  Like me for example...my parents and grandparents ate pretty healthy.  Lots of veggies from the garden.  I hated it all...I still do.  I am very picky.  I didn't get that from the grown ups in my life.  Next example- my daughter.  I was a horrible example.  We ate tons of fast food, lots of starchy foods, no where enough veggies (because I hate veggies).  My daughter left for college and immediately became a vegetarian.  She eats so healthy.  Lots of veggies, lots of healthy protein in the form of beans and tofu or soy.  She didn't get those habits from me.  I almost think that our eating habits are in us from the start and maybe not learned..well maybe learned a little. 

how old is your son ?

He will be 10 in June..

heres my input....i have a 11 yrold daughter....she sneaks food (candy) now i wont keep it in house and if i do she cant get to it and she has to ask for it....the only meals i can control is breakfast and dinner....i only buy 1% milk and sf syrup(if she wants waffles) it is difficult but i keep pretzels..yogurt ,, grapes ...sf jello and puddings..popcorn.i do not keep soda in my house..shes allowed 1 cup of juice a day ..2 cups of milk ....i make a healthy dinner...she usually eats a salad and protein like me ..i make carb side for dh ....i would slowly take away the bad and replace it with some good stuff....because he will have with drawls...do u have the wii game? maybe join him in a game of bowling......dont be so hard on yourself....hope this helps a little or gives you some ideas!

Thanks for the advice..He has the Kinect for his Xbox so we could do that together...I no longer keep sweets or sodas in the house either, but as soon as he gets outta here and with friends and family..well..he goes straight for it!...

 Hi there!  You've already taken the biggest step you can to improve your son's eating habits, and that's by improving your own.  My daughter was 17 when I had surgery, and lost 60 lbs. within the first year after I had it.  That was a decision she made, but was certainly influenced and supported by the changes that I made. She was old enough to understand and appreciate that we were no longer keeping junk in the house.

With a younger child, it's a little more difficult, but on the flip side of that, you still have plenty of time to influence his lifestyle while he's still under your roof (my son had already left for college when I had surgery, and is morbidly obese.  I deal with a lot of guilt about that).  First, I'd suggest you talk to your son, and how you want to be healthy so you can do more fun things together.  Help him understand that in order to do that, you can't keep certain foods in the house, but that occasionally he can have those foods outside of the house.  

Then, work on alternative foods that you can offer him at home.  Let him help you with the menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation whenever possible, so you can use those opportunities to find out what he wants, and how you can adapt to healthier choices.  If he feels he is a part of the process, he's more likely to accept it.  But remember, *you* are the parent.  If he insists he wants to put Oreos in the grocery cart, you have to be strong enough to say, "No.  But we *can* get some crunchy granola bars, or graham crackers, or carmel rice cakes.  Let's go find 'em!"

Best wishes,

Tami

I totally understand the whole guilt issue..I am also glad that he is still young enough to hopefully change some of the bad habits!...I try to offer the better food choices and he says no thanks..it makes me feel even worse because we come home with bags full of stuff he wont even try....but I do understand that I am the parent...Its just so hard when you have so much guilt!...But I am determined to fix this...We both need it too bad to give up!

How about instituting a 'new fruit or veggie of the month'.

Pick something that looks interesting --- research ways to prepare it on line and let him help.

Insist that he eat a bite or 2 or 3 of something new (and do it yoursef) --- understanding that some you  will like and some you will not ---- just like anything new.

You could start doing 'meatless Monday' - or whatever you want -- you said it, you are the parent.
He won't starve by trying something new ----- you need to 'right the ship' --- one meal a week or one meal a month -- whatever you think is appropriate.