Day 104: Cleaning House

I'm on the first day of a two-day cleanse. I love cleansing for several reasons but the top two are it's actually a relief not to have to worry about food for a few days and I feel so much better knowing I'm helping my body become more efficient by giving my insides a "shower" if you will and washing away all the gunk. And there's no better way to cleanse than to clean house. Or clean car, as the case may be.

To put it mildly, my kids are slobs and it's mainly my soon-to-be 7-year-old. In the car I find melted crayons on the seat, books, dvds with no case, and a total of seven (SEVEN) half-full bottles of water stuffed under the seats and two empty bottles. Broken toys, one flip flop, a pair of dress shoes, and then the wrappers. M&Ms, Reese's, gum, Jolly Ranchers, McD's, SlimJims, you name it. Gross!

Somewhere among all this filth it occurs to me... Why is it that I'm saving myself from the toxicity of this crap we call "treats" but I'm giving it to my kids? I think back to all the times before that I've tried to improve my health.  I've always complied 100% (at least at first, anyway) but only had my family comply 25% if at all. I'd sit down for dinner with my salad and my kids ate Big Macs with fries. Do I really think I'm the only one worthy of being healthy or is there more to it than that? If I make my kids follow my lifestyle am I denying them some sort of right of passage (or at least popularity among peers) by withholding the Doritos?

I don't think so and it's time to put an end to the double standard. If I continue to allow them to live with a lifestyle exception just because they're kids how can I expect them to enter into an adult life not having the problems I do with food. How can I expect them to grow into healthy adults if I teach them to be unhealthy kids? Yes, it will be painful for both of us to change - them screaming about how unfair it is, me having to listen to what a bad mom I am - but I can deal with that. I'd rather have them "hate" me for "making" them eat healthfully than contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic that abounds in this country.

It's said that my generation will be the first to outlive their children and that breaks my heart! Why would I want to contribute to that? If I can keep my kids from predeceasing me by simply teaching them healthy habits then I can know I've done my best to insure they'll have to bury me first.

That's not to say we all can't have ice cream on the boardwalk or a hot dog at a ball game. But the overly processed stuff every week is no longer an option. The entire family already enjoys meal replacement shakes for breakfast. Time to get the rest of their meals in line.

I've broken it to the kids that they'll be packing lunch this year. I've learned too much about what's in cafeteria food and have serious doubts that there is a qualified person designing the government's food guidelines for school lunches (french fries are NOT a vegetable people!!). As for the fast food well, that's my fault. That's "mom gave up" and "mom didn't plan".  I need to get on the ball for my family as well as for myself.

So what about you? Do you try to get healthy and leave your kids in the dust? I'd love to know!

Peace,
Susan