Eating & Nutrition
As your child hits his or her teenage years, eating and nutrition can often really suffer. As a teen your son or daughter may go through fads, such a wanting to experiment with vegetarianism, or may bow down to peer pressure and start developing a taste for junk food. It is important, to ensure the ongoing health of your child, to keep an eye on eating and nutrition. The teenage years is often the time when eating orders can develop in some children, so it is even more important for parents to ensure that their son or daughter is getting the right foods and adequate nutrition as they continue to grow.
- Encourage your teen to make the right choices: Of course, your teen is going to want to eat out with friends, whether it is on social occasions or in the school canteen. Many schools have already introduced healthier menus to tackle the problem of eating and nutrition, and you can do your bit by helping your son or daughter to learn about making the right choice when it comes to food.
- Choose the right foods at home: Your teen will eat many of his or her meals at home, and by selecting the right foods – plenty of vegetables, fruits, fish, and lean meats – as part of the menu in the home. This way, not only will your teen be receiving the right meals and nutrition, but you and other family members will also benefit.
- Discourage your teen from eating alone: The teenage years are often ones where your child may become a little more withdrawn when it comes to sitting with the rest of the family, and many teens try and eat in their own rooms whilst playing computer games, watching TV etc. This should not be encourages, because you won’t know whether your teen is eating properly, what he or she is eating, and whether there are any issues.
- Plan proper mealtimes: Eating together as a family can prove invaluable when it comes to ensuring that your child gets the right food and nutrition. Eat meals such as breakfast and dinner together at the table, where you can communicate more effectively as well as eat your meals together.
- Lead by example: By eating the right foods yourself and talking to your teen about which are the right and wrong foods to eat you can further encourage them to make the right choices when it comes to eating and nutrition.