America’s Next Top Model? That Would Be You.

If I’ve read it once, I’ve read it a thousand times, how important it is for parents to model the behaviors they want their children to emulate. Now research is saying that when it comes to food, that this ‘ain’t necessarily so’.

A recent study done by this group tells us that as children grow older their eating habits are more likely to be influenced by their friends. And, when it comes to parents, the children tend to copy their mom’s eating habits, rather than their father’s. Social and economic status didn’t seem to matter either. The study sampled 2,291 parents aged 20-65 and 2,692 children aged 2-18.

Here in the land of Silicon and Honey I’ve made a conscious effort to model good eating habits and to voice my alternative views about beauty, health, and weight. It’s difficult to say to my daughter that people come in all sizes, when I drop her off at school all you hear are the Mom’s greeting each other with is, “Hey, you look like you’ve lost weight,” or “Hey skinny!” followed by whatever else about the weather, PTA or politics.

While I think the scientists are right when it comes to peer influence, food is also about tradition and culture. While the fluffer-nutter sandwich has lost most of its appeal, I still crave one every now and then just for the memory. As a single-mom I can’t stop modeling what I think is best for the Tween-let’s health. And after the Tween-let has gone through all the fries, pizza, and pop, one day instead of reaching for something processed and sugary, she’ll remember the Farmer’s Market, us walking hand in hand tasting fruit and how good a fresh peach tastes, and she’ll reach for that instead.

- Aunt B