Top South African Lifestyle Blog
What a weekend! My eldest started writing exams today – which means we were all studying, Afrikaans,over the weekend! It actually feels like you are back at school and studying again – I am not sure who is more nervous, her or us?! So being the beginning of a rather long week we can use all the MIRACLES we can get! 🙂 Just not too sure if I am patient enough to wait 48 hours!
Have a great week!
Image Source: Pinterest
Nobody ever said that parenting was going to be easy and I must admit parenting two girls is not without its challenges. Especially when it comes to developing a good body image and tricky subjects and like weight, looks, sibling rivalry to touch on just a few! Just when you think you have it sussed they throw another curve ball at you!
So my dilemma at the moment is how to encourage a healthy sense of one’s physical appearance without making an issue out of it or over emphasising the topic. I will not deny the fact that I have always been body conscious but I do try and ensure that I eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. As parents, my husband and I both try and focus on the health aspect, emphasising healthy body – healthy mind. In a perfect world this would be enough but unfortunately once our children become aware of the media and what the “world” deems as being acceptable – it feels like we are fighting a losing battle.
Statistically South Africa falls somewhere in the middle of the graph as far as fatalities caused by eating disorders, the USA has the highest rate – somewhat alarming when my daughters are trying to model themselves on American pop stars and actresses. Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying that all popular people have eating disorders but the media certainly makes a big deal if anyone of them puts on a few extra pounds!
After reading an article recently on the “Fad” diets that actresses follow, I was even more alarmed at what length someone will go to “lose weight”. The most terrifying diet mentioned in the article is “the Baby Food Diet” – you have got to be kidding me, this cannot be healthy or pleasant to do. The thing is I love good food to much too even contemplate doing something like this; what’s better than a delicious steak and a baked potato – yum! (I am making my own mouth water!) I will admit that I have certainly tried a few crazy “detoxes” in my time but never lasted more than a few days – who wants to eat onion soup three times a day!
Where does this leave us as parents and how do we deal with children who show signs of becoming obsessed with losing weight and developing a full blown eating disorder? I guess the thing we have to realise is that having an eating disorder does not always mean you are thin – binge disorders can make people over weight. The issue lies with an unhealthy relationship with food, so the most important thing we as parents can do is lead by example – ensure that our children see us eating a healthy well balance diet and exercising regularly. By doing this we can encourage them to do the same and focus on the health aspect rather than the weigh aspect.
I think we also need to be sensitive to our children’s feelings and perception of their own body – encourage them to talk about how they feel. Also be aware of what you say about others – I always maintain if its not positive or helpful, keep your mouth shut! Which brings to mind an incident which happened over the weekend – a rather insensitive shop assistant told my very impressionable 10 year old that she had fat on her ankles (we were shoe shopping) – as I said if you don’t have anything good to say then don’t say anything! I then had to spend the rest of the afternoon explaining that the woman had no idea what she was talking about and was just trying to make sales – needless to say we did not buy anything from her!
What can we do to help promote a healthy sense of being?
Articles I found helpful on the subject:
Images: ©FAR Photography by Super Mom & Pinterest
We cannot avoid milestones – they are a part of our lives from cradle to grave. We measure our existence and our success in life by milestones, “firsts”, “birthdays”, getting engaged, getting married, having babies – they become our markers along the road of life.
As parents we watch these milestones like hawks – how fast our baby grows, when they start to walk, when the start to talk, when they cut their first tooth – the list goes on.
In our lives at the moment we are facing some rather large millstones, it is our 15 year wedding anniversary next month – yes you can be married for 15 years and still be happy and in love! My beloved is turning 40 early next year – yikes, I remember when I was a child thinking that 40 was so old! As I said fairly large milestones!
Another milestone we have been faced with recently is the decision, whether or not to have any more children – which may not be a big deal to some people but a rather large decision for us. It is almost as if you are closing a chapter in your life. It is not necessarily the easiest decision to make and you constantly question your motivation but now that we have made the decision – I believe it was the right decision and timing for us. I think that you know – that you know!
Going forward I know that there are so many more milestones that I cannot wait to experience – getting older is not one of them but watching my girls become young woman, achieving success in their lives and careers, getting married and having babies – being around to experience all these milestones with them!
So enjoy your family – cherish those millstones, celebrate each one no matter how small and insignificant they may seem.
Images: Super Mom & Pinterest
It always amazes me as to how easily, we as human beings have the ability to adapt and change dependant on the circumstance or situation – some boarding on split personality disorder. What we say or how we act is largely determined by who we are with and what situation we find ourselves in.
This said, what does it say about our belief system and the type of values we imparting to our children? I would like my children to grow up with good solid values, being respectful and well-rounded adults – which means that I have to be a good role model and give them something to aspire to.
I think in the world at large, most people do not share this ideology, just take a simple concept like good manners – people just don’t seem to care about manners anymore. Yes I am generalising but I see it every day – if someone doesn’t feel like greeting you they just don’t! What’s up with that? I don’t want to be a lifelong friend – but would a simple “hello” kill you???
If we as adults adopt this policy – to only greet or have manners when we feel like, can we honestly expect our children to do any differently? We should be leading by example. I understand that we all have different belief systems and morals but we should still maintain basic etiquette.
“Manners Maketh Man” – William Wykeham. How we behave says a great deal about who we are and manners stop the world from falling into a heap of savagery!
So what can we do to stop the world from degenerating around us? To me it is very simple –be the better person; never give up and never stop trying! 😉
Images: Pinterest
We all had a bit of a laugh when we can across this sign, on our holiday travels. Which my girls then insisted that I buy – it’s great to know that they hold me in such high esteem! 🙂
It now hangs next to my bed to remind me, every day, how much I mean to my precious family. I promise, I will try not to let it go to my head 😉
