Comments on: It’s Your Fault the Kids Are Fat!

By: SoftwareMom

SoftwareMom — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:26:40 +0000

Why don’t you ever see studies of the negative impact that the amount of DAD’s overtime and travel has on the kids? I’m sure there must be some, even when the wife is a SAHM. I’m tempted to write the researchers…

By: MaryP

MaryP — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:08:53 +0000

Have you noticed the children’s selections on most restaurant menus? Mac and cheese, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwichs — all high fat, and not a vegetable in sight. It’s really started to bug me in recent years. It used to be that there’d be some carrot sticks, or SOMETHING. Increasingly less common, and that’s not a good thing.

By: Devra Renner

Devra Renner — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:34:38 +0000

The blame angle of the study is not helpful at all to anyone’s guilt-o-meter. And if you are letting this study effect your guilt-o-meter, then yeah, I will drive over to your house and not leave until we get that guilt-o-meter back down to a reasonable level. Friends don’t let friends have debilitating mommy guilt!

By: Jenn

Jenn — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 15:49:42 +0000

You know the Pizza Hut commercial, the one where dad “Cooks” dinner? Well, I was watching that the other day and I realized there wasn’t a fruit or veg in site. Unless you counted the sauce on the pizza. It was all white flour (sugar) and cheese and more sugar. I can imagine that’s not the only commercial showing poor nutrition. And not that it’s Pizza Hut’s job to teach us a balanced meal. Or that that is the cause of our obesity crisis. But wouldn’t it look like good citizenship for a fast food company to provide a salad in their meal bundle? And show it in their commercial?

A few months ago, the New York Times food columnist posted 101 quick and easy summer main dishes that cooked in 10 minutes or less (not including any prep work). I’m still cooking off that list. None of it was really “summer food”. And even if you only like 1/4 of the recipes…that’s still 25. Almost a month’s worth of cooking. Here’s the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

By: Daisy

Daisy — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:10:48 +0000

Husband is a better cook than I am, but I’m usually the one home to make supper. I use the crockpot a lot so we can have homemade soups.

By: MaryP

MaryP — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:52:35 +0000

I agree with thisKat when she says, “Studies like this should *help* parents see the cause of problems so they can make better choices. Getting mad at the researchers because you doesn’t solve anything.”

If people are making poor choices that impact negatively on their childrens’ health, it is not “blaming” anyone to point this out.

Your point is well taken that this need not be the mother’s responsibility and/or fault. And, when men are planning and cooking as many meals/week as women, it won’t be. Until then, well, I think it is.

By: kate

kate — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:48:09 +0000

you know, when you have a baby they give you 47831902398741129472098174921874398 ‘pamphlets’ and free coupons for stuff you never use. wouldnt it be cool if they included some nutritional informatino and some ‘quick and healthy’ meals that maybe dad can learn to cook while mom is healing from birth? i think that would get everyone in the family kind of used to change. life changes anyway at that point, why not try to change your diet?

that said - fathers should be just as responsible for the nutritional health of the family. but just because they SHOULD be, doesnt mean they always are…

By: Neefer

Neefer — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:33:10 +0000

What about the fathers? Aren’t they responsible for the health of their children as well?

Why is this always put on mothers? Parents are equally responsible for their families well-being.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:15:46 +0000

I blogged about this a while ago, but in a more joking manner, as there was another story after this one that said working moms are healthier.

I really don’t think these studies help working moms or their kids. If someone understands how to and wants to feed their kids healthy meals, they can and will, regardless of their free time, IMHO. I’d rather see education for kids and adults about healthy foods.

By: Meri

Meri — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:11:24 +0000

As a nutritionist, I agree with PT-LawMom. This is a society issue secondary to busy lives, increased portion sizes, decrease in activity, and overall out of balance food choices.

Plus, even though you hear it constantly, I don’t agree that it takes more time to cook a healthy meal. It’s just more convenient to use processed foods or take out. We forget that it does take time to get take out or go through a drive thru or make mac and cheese. Think about it this way, it only takes about 10-15 min to grill some salmon. Not very time consuming at all.

I agree with you that it isn’t fair to make this a mom issue. It is a family issue that includes everyone in the family.