Oh New York Times, you've spotted yet another parenting non-trend! This time, the Times tells us, mothers are giving their kids complexes about eating healthy food, which is, (ironically, of course!) unhealthy.
Who did the newspaper of record consult to get information on this trend? Why, specialists in eating disorders. That is, people who are exposed almost exclusively to unhealthy people obsessed in one way or another about food. A bit circular, don't you think?
Because in spite of the anecdotal evidence of the Times that kids whose mothers are careful with their diets--serving lots of organic vegetables, for example, or avoiding over-processed foods and transfats--are terrified at the prospect of eating an Oreo, or refuse to have a piece of cake at other children's (those with mothers who presumably have a healthy approach to transfat acceptance) birthday parties.
This article just irks me. Sure maybe people already inclined to eating disorders also have a fixation on the healthiness of their food. But most people could use some improvement in the food choice department. I take a great deal of care in feeding my children well. I'm a prime example of a mom who restricts her children to a nearly all-organic, all-whole-food diet. But my kids are not about to turn down cookies or birthday cake, given the chance. Not on your life. In fact, my philosophy is that if you keep your kids on the dietary straight and narrow 90% of the time, the occasional junk-food treats they enjoy will A) be a bigger, more fun deal and B) not hurt them a bit, given their overall health and nutritional intake.
Ah, but the food industry would love it if parents all decided that feeding kids healthy food--and teaching them to do the work of decoding package labeling, which is purposefully obscure--is the unhealthy approach.
Then maybe we'd all get back to buying Oreos like good little sheep.
See Also:
Bon Appetite Little Anne Marie
Even "Safe" Peanut Butter Sales Plummet
