Is Cindy Crawford On To Something Here?
According to a recent online report, supermodel Cindy Crawford has taken steps to encourage her daughter to enjoy food. Crawford says she eats snacks like ice cream in front of 7 year old Kaia. She is concerned that little Kaia may develop compulsive dieting patterns.
Well having made her name in the modeling industry Crawford may be in a good position to see firsthand what these habits can do to someone. It has been well documented that many young girls are influenced by unrealistic body images portrayed in the media as the ideal.
Crawford has maintained her model figure after two children, and is still sought after in the industry after more than 20 years in the industry. In her own opinion however, it is a good thing for her children to see that even though she is slim, she still indulges in a snack now and then. She was quoted as saying, “I do want my kids to see their mom eating normally. If we go for ice cream I might get the tiny size but I’ll eat it. I don’t want my daughter to think she can’t eat ice cream.”
Personally I couldn’t agree more. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could keep our children on the healthy diet we start them on as babies? By that I mean the carrots, peas and so on. When he was a baby I had an easy time feeding my son carrots, pumpkin, bananas and sweet potatoes among other things. Now feeding him has almost become a covert operation, sneaking vegetables into his food and masking it with gravy.
I suppose any parent can tell stories about getting their children to eat healthy. We don’t hear much about encouraging them to snack now and then. The lesson I take from this is to let children know that food is not the enemy. That they can have the occasional snack and still be healthy. As with so many other things in life, I guess the ultimate goal is to maintain a balance. We can teach children to eat healthy, allow them to indulge once in a while, but also encourage them to be active.
I think Cindy Crawford is on to a good thing here. No matter what we teach our children, we have little control once they are out there in the world. Who knows what influences they may encounter? But generally they do try to emulate what they see their parents doing.
Crawford points out that she has to exercise restraint, as we all do especially when we hit a certain age. But it is a good thing to have some ice cream or cake with your children. Let them know it’s not always about peas and beans, and carrots, and whatever else they may find it a chore to eat. So barring any major weight or health issues, treat yourself, ensuring that you don’t overdo it. Even if there are weight issues a little treat once in a while shouldn’t do any harm. Just don’t overdo, so by showing restraint, you are also providing a good lesson too.
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