What does IE parenting look like?

[Guest guest]

As someone who is getting close to the time of trying to have a family I have

started wondering about how I will do IE as a parent. I was thinking about how

when I was a kid dinner was always with the family and we all sat down and ate

no matter what our hunger level was... in fact many of the control battles

between my brother and father were fought over food at the dinner table.

Nevertheless I do think family meals are truly important but wonder how does IE

look when parenting?

In IE we are taught basically to eat what we want because that is typically what

your body needs, but how does that translate into a busy family especially

considering food budgets? I know for sure I am not interested in cooking 4

different meals to suit everyone at the table.

I would just love to hear how others would parent or do parent using the

principles of IE...

[Guest guest]

With five kids this is something I struggle with everyday (3x a day). I'm still trying to figure out this IE thing for myself and it is even more difficult when there is a family to think about. I too think that family meals are very important, but I refuse to be a short order cook!!!I've been reading a couple books by Ellyn Satter that have been extremely helpful and they have a very IE feel to them. "Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family" and "How to Get Your Kid to Eat...But Not too Much" are the two that I am currently reading. Since you are at the beginning of having a family she also wrote "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense", which starts with healthy eating from birth. She breaks down meals into responsibilities...she says "Parents are responsible for what is presented to eat and the manner in which it is presented. Children are responsible for how much and even whether they eat." For family mealtime she suggests making an entree with a few different sides. That way everyone should have at least something they like and everyone is given a variety of choices which they can eat or refuse.When I make my meals I try to do an entree with 1-2 veggie sides, a fruit, and occasionally bread and/or some dessert. If someone doesn't like the entree there's a good chance they will at least eat a veggie or fruit. Satter even talks about serving dessert with the meal and allowing the children eat that with/before their meal if they desire!!! Something I'm not brave enough to try yet...lol! (Plus I don't think I could get dh to go along with it )God Bless,Dayna:)To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: jbs263@...Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:02:43 +0000Subject: What does IE parenting look like?

As someone who is getting close to the time of trying to have a family I have started wondering about how I will do IE as a parent. I was thinking about how when I was a kid dinner was always with the family and we all sat down and ate no matter what our hunger level was... in fact many of the control battles between my brother and father were fought over food at the dinner table. Nevertheless I do think family meals are truly important but wonder how does IE look when parenting?

In IE we are taught basically to eat what we want because that is typically what your body needs, but how does that translate into a busy family especially considering food budgets? I know for sure I am not interested in cooking 4 different meals to suit everyone at the table.

I would just love to hear how others would parent or do parent using the principles of IE...

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[Guest guest]

I have a two year old son who has his own definate opinion on what and when he

will eat - if at all. I try to let him make his own decisions - as much as a

two year old can make. We always have something that he will eat on hand, which

isn't difficult at this age. If all eles fails, there's always PB & J! I offer

limited choices - do you want to eat what mommy and daddy are eating or do you

want grilled cheese? Do you really want a second handfull of goldfish or do you

want dinner? If he asks for something I will let him have it within reason. So

far I've been blown away. I've seen him pass over pizza for salad. He asks for

fruit and vegetables on a regular basis. I've seen him walk away from a half

eaten oreo and leave fritos on a plate.

In all honesty, he's the one setting the example for me.

Mu husband, on the other hand, is a challenge! LOL!

>

> As someone who is getting close to the time of trying to have a family I have

started wondering about how I will do IE as a parent. I was thinking about how

when I was a kid dinner was always with the family and we all sat down and ate

no matter what our hunger level was... in fact many of the control battles

between my brother and father were fought over food at the dinner table.

Nevertheless I do think family meals are truly important but wonder how does IE

look when parenting?

>

> In IE we are taught basically to eat what we want because that is typically

what your body needs, but how does that translate into a busy family especially

considering food budgets? I know for sure I am not interested in cooking 4

different meals to suit everyone at the table.

>

> I would just love to hear how others would parent or do parent using the

principles of IE...

>