Parents who limit the sugar intake for their children to control behavior may have to rethink their strategy. The New York Times recently published an article debunking sugar rush myth and parents can’t believe it. However, the 1994 scientific data on the subject is fairly antiquated and relies on a smallish study of 25 children …
Category: eating
From breastfeeding to morning breakfast and school lunches, you won’t ever know if you’re doing it right. Except when the kid is happy!
Child poverty in America is a silver spoon everywhere else
The Facebook post status read as follows: “I like child poverty in America. We would be considered rich anywhere else.” I happen to know the author carries a load of college debt. And here’s what a highschool friend living in Marietta, Georgia, posted in response: “Today my daughter complained that she didn’t want cereal for …
Free lunch for home schooled
While Congress and the First Lady can be credited with some improvements in school lunches, nothing has been done to provide a free lunch for home schooled and virtual academy students. Are homeschooled children less important to Congress than their public school counterparts? Laws are on the books in most states that guarantee homeschooled kids …
Vitamin supplements for toddlers are good
Now, there’s a sanctimonious anti-vitamin movement saying vitamin supplements for toddlers is bad. These folks who helicopter over their kids are the same ones using iPhone apps with ankle bracelets on their children. Well-meaning parents and coaches, who advise youth athletes to take dietary supplements in an effort to promote early athletic development, improve performance, …
The junk food compromise
I went on a change-your-diet-change-your-life kick, limiting all the snack, sweet, fast food, or junk foods from my family’s diet. It was easier for me than you’d think because I was the only one buying groceries. I just didn’t buy it anymore. Just because something isn’t available doesn’t mean people won’t miss it. I thought …
Breastfeeding in Asia is not what I expected
“This baby feeds from his mother’s milk,” I answered in my newly-acquired language. Stepping out with a newborn in Indochina, I had expected the typical questions to be “Boy or girl?” or “How old?” But what I heard was very different – “No Breastfeeding!” Local friends, waitresses, fellow passengers on the city bus, taxi drivers, …
How I got a free dinner for breastfeeding in public
My family and I were enjoying a nice dinner at a local restaurant. We have three children each several years apart – two boys, 11 and 8, and my little 12-month old princess. I had breastfed my little girl since she was born while the boys were bottle fed when they were babies. It was …
Are parents to blame for childhood obesity?
A couple of days ago, a family asked me for advice about their child, a 10-year-old who is overweight. They were running out of ideas what to do about it. Their most pressing concern was their own responsibility about the situation. I had to answer whether I thought these parents are to blame for childhood …
Testing the hygiene hypothesis in Asia
“She’s a bad mother. Look how messy that baby is!” It took a moment for me to translate the accusation into English and process the criticism being leveled. On overseas assignment in a developing country, I was eating among locals in a noodle shop, reminding myself of the hygiene hypothesis – exposure to germs early in …
Don’t avoid gluten, give your baby lots of pasta!
Unless your baby suffers from Celiac disease, don’t avoid gluten any more than you would avoid giving your baby a potential allergen such as nuts or dairy. Today’s doctors recommend introducing solid foods slowly to ensure your baby tolerates them, but gluten is no exception. Those health food nuts who preach gluten-free for life need …
5 reasons GMO is not harmful to children
Although the corporate greed for control over GMO is appalling, any health concerns for giving GMO to children are unfounded. GMO is not harmful to children. Study after study continue to prove the bad health theories surrounding genetically modified organism (GMO) industry are wrong. While concerned activists have their heart in the right place, by …
Review on spoons for baby food pouches
Baby pouches are replacing jars because of ease, but what’s the best way to squeeze it out? Here’s a video reviewing the best spoons for baby food pouches. We’re celebrating modern engineering by featuring the “Space Spoon”, which more properly goes by the name of a “Dispensing Spoon” that screws on to the pouches of …
5 reasons organic food is a waste of money
The $29 billion organic food industry is here to stop the dangers of modern agriculture, but new evidence suggests eating organic food is a waste of money. The marketing and hype around organic farming causes parents to unduly worry and obsess over finding pesticide-free food for their families. Furthermore, Penn & Teller recently released a …
How to end picky eating in your child by not being picky
A simple solution for how to end picky eating in your child is to avoid feeding the appetite for attention, which can be bigger than any appetite for food. There is a proven correlation in kids who crave attention at the dinner table and their eating habits. I was 8-years old when my cousin was born. …
Is breastfeeding in public a faux pas?
A friend of mine posted a photo of her breastfeeding. I was mesmerized by the color of her baby’s eyes, the gentle nature of this perfect moment and how great it is to see someone I know in her element. However, the number of comments caught my attention as unusually high. Intrigued, I read the …
Why an old-timer thinks about breastfeeding
You won’t believe what this old man thinks about breastfeeding. Nonetheless, the decision comes down to what is best for the parents and the child. There are too many folks who think it’ll be the end of the world if their baby isn’t breastfed. That stigma is unfortunate. In the 1970s, nearly 75% of American …
Baby Mum-Mums are awesome and a rip-off
Baby Mum-Mums represent both the best and the worst thing about being a parent in the modern world. The little packages are convenient, the crackers are benign, babies love them, and they function as an excellent babysitter when you want to do other things. While the little one munches away on the cracker, the only …
Milkbones for babies
You won’t believe how messy eating can be until you see this video. Most parents will discover the joys and pains of baby biscuits during their children’s teething phase. The particular brand we use are somewhere between nasty and miraculous. These instruments of diversion and tools for teething relief keep babies contented for a few …