kids and parents

RNperdiem, RN · Dec 19, 2007

Nutrition was simpler when there was less choice. Snack food was once an expensive treat to be bought very occasionally.

I am a lifelong picky eater. Now I have kids and need to lead by example. They make fun of their Dad because Dad puts milk in his cereal.

TazziRN, RN · Dec 19, 2007

When I complained about what my mom made for dinner, instead of sending me to bed without it she'd tell me to make myself a bowl of cereal or PB&J and eat that. She wouldn't do it for me, but at least I got something to eat and it taught me a lesson.

That's what I do with my kids. If I know ahead of time that one kid doesn't like what I'm preparing, then I will give them a choice: "I can make (whatever) for you, or you can fend for yourself." I am not a short-order cook, I will vary my menu slightly to accommodate their dislikes but not drastically. My son doesn't like white rice, so I will boil a potato for him. My daughter hates chicken with a passion so I will cook up a turkey piece for her. So far my youngest will eat anything so she's easy!

If the "I don't like that" happens at the table I tell them, "You know where the kitchen is and you have two hands."

mercurial1101 · Apr 25, 2008

This senario sounds familiar. I had a patient like this once - a seventeen year old female whose mother wanted to control everything. Now I completely understand that, on most occasions, parents are control freaks with the medical staff because they can't control their child's illness. If the child is an adolescent, though, I have found that asking if you can speak to the child privately works the best. When I did this, the mother (relunctantly) obliged and I got the information I needed (i.e. pain scale, nutritional tastes, care she thought she needed) and was able to include her wishes in my care plan. Because I did this, the mother told me that her daughter said that she liked me a lot. That's a big compliment from a teenager!

katie258 · Apr 25, 2008

Really? there are foods that kids don't eat? My lot even fight me for my oysters, eat sprouts, all the stuff their friends wont eat.

My son invited a friend over to sleep the night. This kid only eats sausage rolls for dinner, my son said to him "Whaddya mean you don't eat veges and meat, are you insane? it's food!"

I've looked everywhere to find a food the boys won't eat, even choko, sweet potato, chillie. They just hover and inhale then go out to play footie and come back in later wanting seconds and thirds.

wearingmanyhats, RN · Apr 25, 2008

My kdis do pretty good.... dd16 won't eat ground beef or hamburgers, but I don't have a problem with that. She is not fond of fish, but loves crab/shrimp/lobster......

I too told them.... if you don't want what I cooked, it's either PBJ, cereal or open a can of soup...

I do believe that by the time a child is old enough to be intimate with the oposite sex, he/she should have privacy with medical personnel....

Faye

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2008

I never had a problem, I cooked they ate. My kids are in college now, but they love vegetables!!! I raised them the way I was raised. If anyone came over for dinner...they ate what we ate....the end. Many of their friends tried new things because of it. One of the funniest things that happened was that my son dated a chinese girl in high school....they entertained alot and had alot of unusual foods in addition to the foods we are used to as "Chinese in America"....one day, the girl's mother stopped me and asked if Joe had any asian relatives....I asked why, she replied that he was the only white kid who tried any, and everything offered to him....the rest of her daughter's friends only ate bad food!

It's funny my sister told me her son wouldn't eat anything...she came to visit and I encourage her to go out with my BIL. That night, I made creamed spinach, mashed potatoes and roast chicken....my nephew ate everything without a problem, even had seconds! My sister didn't believe me. I swear the kid was going to become a chicken nuggett/buttered noodle. He never ate anything else! I told her to sit his butt in a chair, sit with him as a family, and eat! She was so busy doing cartwheels trying to make him eat...I believe he looked for the attention by being bad, instead of enjoying a meal time.

I think our busy lives have made highfat food easier, it's nice to sit still and enjoy each other. If you start early enough, children learn to enjoy it too!

Maisy

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 25, 2008

I've noticed a lot lately that many parents with sick kids haven't a clue about good health, good health habits, or proper nutrition for their kids.
Last wk. there was a teenage girl that came in with pneumonia. Her parents were at her bedside every minute which was good EXCEPT that they failed to provided their daughter any encouragement to help herself. They turned every learning opportunity into a, "Yea, but she doesn't......"
At about 94 lbs. dripping wet and 5'7", I constantly heard how she wouldn't eat this, she wouldn't eat that, she likes pizza but only a nibble or two and it can't be made with any X,Y, or Z toppings. She never drinks milk but likes brand X diet soda. "Oh my no. She doesn't like water!"
Cough and deep breath.....It's not "lady-like." Incentive Spirometer..."She can't do that."
It just went on and on....I don't think this girl said more than 10 words of her own origination in the days she was with us.
I've come across a lot of parents and kids like this lately.
Is this a new thing or am I just really slow in catching on?

Not hard to figure out why she was in with pneumonia, was it?

Her parents needed a good sit-down lecture about her health. Forget lady-like, she needs to cough and deep breathe. Yes, she can use the incentive spirometer. She needs to eat some real food in order to get better.

Part of the problem here was the "helicopter parents." They obviously wouldn't stop hovering. (Helicopter parents hover closely overhead). They need to start backing off a bit. Well, a lot, actually.

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2008

I love that term helicopter....hover, hover...

Maisy

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Apr 25, 2008

he was the only white kid who tried any, and everything offered to him....the rest of her daughter's friends only ate bad food!

When I was a kid we ate what was in front of us or we didn't eat. I mastered liver and onions by taking bites of meat like pills, but I ate it, knowing I'd go to bed hungry if I didn't. We were also expected to eat at least a bite of everything. My sister got a bite of boiled carrot with every meal, so she figured out the pill technique before I did.

We were under threat of death if we ever said we didn't like something when we were guests at dinner. If it was something we'd never seen before we took a bite, and ate around it if necessary. I'm pretty sure I would have eaten a piece of bug, and politely moved it to the side of the plate, if my mom was watching.

Now I think they were too strict, if a child doesn't like one item on the menu they should get more of whatever else is being served, or cook an alternative. We were darn good kids, but swallowing food whole can't be good for the digestion. The first time a parent said to me "she won't swallow medicine" I nearly choked. Sure she will, and she did when I gave it, and then promptly puked it back up when her mom said, "she's gonna throw up now."

Somebody hand me a stupid sign. :banghead:

elthia · Apr 26, 2008

I had a 20 year old last week...I had to have her tylenol changed to elixer because she couldn't swallow pills...:banghead:

If you are old enough to go off to college, drop out, total your car, get thrown from it in the process, break 2 vertebra and an arm in the process, miraculously HAVE NO NEUROLOGICAL DEFICITS AND STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO WALK then your spoiled little piece of %^$#& can learn to swallow a pill for a fever of 100.8 because you won't use your incentive spirometer. But no, Dad says that he will personally go and raid the pediatric unit himself for elixer for his little baby...sniff...:banghead:

allnurses Guide · Apr 26, 2008

Every time I go home from working a night in the ER, I thank God for the kids that I have.:redpinkhe

allnurses Guide · Apr 26, 2008

I had a 20 year old last week...I had to have her tylenol changed to elixer because she couldn't swallow pills...:banghead:
QUOTE]
Had a 14 yo who "just can't swallow pills". Gave her an Amoxicillin capsule, explained how to float it on the water in her mouth and just gulp. She chewed it and exhaled powder on me.