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I
s your child picky about eating
fruits and veggies? Here are
some ways to turn that around.
1.
Plant seeds for change.
Picky
eaters may like to try food they’ve
grown. Start them o with tomatoes
or green peppers in pots. ey can
grow herbs in a window garden too.
2.
Visit a farmers market.
e
farmers can help kids choose
the best melon. Or pick the most
tender butter lettuce.
Next stop: an ethnic grocery
store. Have kids name the shapes
and colors of the exotic fruits and
veggies.
3.
Raise the bar.
Kids are more
likely to eat something they made.
So set up a family meal bar. Try
bowls of sautéed or fresh veggies.
en add all the xings for healthy
burritos, stu ed potatoes, salads or
sandwiches.
4.
Hide in plain view.
Slip kale into
smoothies. Puree peaches to make
a sauce for baked chicken. Layer
spinach into lasagna.
5.
Name that food.
Make your
menu more tempting with a new
name. Anyone up for snowballs
(cauli ower)? Jack’s giant raisins
(prunes)?
Whip up a new veggie dish with
your child’s help. Name it after your
young chef. You may get frequent
requests for Josh’s Posh Squash,
Avery’s Savory Yams or Eileen’s Silly
Beans.
e more involved kids are, the
more likely they are to try new
foods. So let them help choose
recipes, shop, peel veggies and stir
pots. When you cook together,
you might help create habits for a
lifetime of healthy eating.
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Academy of Pediatrics;
U.S. Department of Agriculture
No, I won’t eat it!
5 WAYS TO MAKE FRUITS AND VEGGIES MORE APPEALING TO KIDS
BULLYING
How to help your child cope
S
ome kids use their sts to
bully other children. Others
tease, make threats or
spread rumors online.
Bullying takes many forms—and
it’s always wrong. A child who is
bullied may:
Be afraid to go to school.
Lose con dence.
Become depressed.
is is why you’ll want to take
steps to protect your child from
bullying. Here are four steps you
can take:
1.
Talk with your child about
bullying.
Even if you don’t think
your child is a target, ask about it.
You might start by asking, “How
are things going at school?” or,
“What do you think of the other
kids in your class?”
It’s good to ask questions like
this. Kids sometimes don’t want
to admit that they’re being picked
on.
2.
Teach your child how to
respond.
Your child should look a
bully in the eye and stay calm. Your
child might say, in a rm voice, “I
don’t like what you’re doing. Stop it
now.” en your child should walk
away.
3.
Urge your child to get help.
Tell
your child to ask for help from an
adult if he or she is bullied. Your
child should also speak up if he
or she sees another child being
attacked.
4.
Help your child make friends.
Encourage your child to get to
know other kids. Children who
aren’t social are more likely to be
bullied than those with friends.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
children’s health
KFHC office address: 5701 Truxtun Ave., No. 201, Bakersfield, CA 93309
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family
health