My calendar of conversations will get you and your kids ready for Thanksgiving. Start today.
I know I’m not the only one who wishes I could get through Thanksgiving (and the rest of the Eating Season) without gaining weight. There are a host of habits I wish I had for the holidays. Not constantly munching before the holiday meal is another one.
So here’s the dirty truth. If we want our kids to have better holiday habits than we have, it’s important to have a few conversations with our kids.
Teaching your kids how to cope with Thanksgiving just might be the best gift you can give them. They’re not too young to learn these life skills.
- It’s not just how to manage the day without diving into the pecan pie.
- It’s also how to fit Thanksgiving into a healthy diet, without resorting to making skinny versions of their favorites.
Yes, I’m against skinny versions. They reinforce the idea of being “good” and being “bad.” I’d rather eat healthier before and after the holidays, a concept I call “Bookending.”
Don’t expect your kids to pick up these holiday life skills on their own. And don’t think that modeling “perfect” holiday eating habits will be enough. You have to have a few conversations with your kids.
I reiterate. Start today.
The conversations you need to have include:
- The principle of Proportion: It’s important to eat more of the really healthy stuff than everything else. On Thanksgiving this happens over the course of a few weeks, not over the course of the day.
- Being able to identify hunger and satiety.
- What to do if you don’t normally eat the kinds of foods that will be served. (Can you bring your own food? Hmm.)
- How to cope if overstimulation will prevent you from eating. (Maybe eat before getting to Grandma’s.)
Want more information? I write about these Thanksgiving Day Survival Skills and provide sample dialogue here. You can also read more here.
~Changing the conversation from nutrition to habits.~
