The Feeding Relationship: Parents & Children

I just got back from serving on a health panel at my church here in Cambridge.  I thoroughly enjoyed talking about my topic of choice (food and nutrition) for two hours.  While there was a wide variety of questions that I addressed, a common theme focused on the feeding relationship between parents and children.  While my practice focuses primarily on adult nutrition, I have been amazed to see how our grown-up feelings, attitudes, and behaviors about food stem from our interactions with food as children.

Nearly all parents care deeply about the heatlh and well-being of their kids.  But as most parents have experienced, dinner time can turn into a source of anxiety and frustration as you try to feed your family well.  Even the most well-intentioned parent can find themselves engaging in a power struggle, battling over broccoli and cookies. 

Ellyn Satter is a Registered Dietitian specializing in teaching people how to feed a healthy family.  I highly recommend visiting her website.  And if this topic interests you, check out her book "How to Get Your Kid to Eat...But Not Too Much."  She provides a wealth of knowledge and gives you the tools you need to raise a healthy family....without the dinner time battles.

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