My
husband and I have no trouble with a vegetarian diet in our home
but our parents think we're crazy and say so! How do we keep everyone
happy? So
long as there are families, there are going to be some disagreements
over how the separate generations are leading their individual
lives. In a perfect world, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and siblings
would at least respect, if not applaud, the way we choose to raise
our children. But I am well aware the world still has a way to
go before nutritional awareness reaches that level. So the question
becomes, how should you deal with the disapproval?
I have parents
tell me that they dread holidays because the grandparents try
and slip meat and sweets to the children. Grandma is insulted
if everyone doesn't eat her turkey or ham. She considers it a
comment on her cooking. After all, she raised you and you turned
out okay, didn't you? The argument is like tic-tac-toe against
a computer. You can't win.
What you can do
is stand your ground. Before the event, call and discuss the situation
with your parents. Gently tell them that you have very definite
beliefs about what your children should be eating and you need
to have your decisions honored. Explain that there are new scientific
findings about the best way to eat. We now know a great deal more
than we did when we were children. Just like they wanted us to
grow up as healthy as possible, we want the same thing for our
children. There may be some looks and muttered comments, but usually
the family will rise to the occasion.
You should be aware
of the mixed messages your children will be getting at these family
gatherings. They are very conscious of the undercurrents, and
if you don't do a little preparation, they will be confused. Tell
them something like this: "Other family members don't feel
the way you do about foods. They will be eating things that we
know are bad for us. That's their choice, and we shouldn't say
anything about it. But we know what we want to use to build our
bodies. So no matter what other people say, we will choose those
foods we've found are best for us."
What you don't
want to do is make your family the bad guys. Tell your children:
"Your grandparents are great! They just haven't learned what
we have about food." |