BS"D
The truth is, I am the last one to preach on this matter. My friend just brought over freshly baked cinnamon buns and without hesitation, I polished one off. If you were to tell me the kosher market was giving out free hot kasha or mushroom knishes, I'd be the first customer at the door, despite knowing the ingredients clearly feature hydrogenated oil and bleached flour.
But for some reason, I felt queasy when my kids begged me to go to 7-11 on July 11 last week, when the store famously offers free slurpees when the calendar date falls on the same numbers as the store, 7-11. I guess because I don't like slurpees it's not a temptation for me. But Hashem made me my kids’ parents and I have no iota of a desire to put high levels of high fructose corn syrup, foaming agents, preservatives, and food dyes in my mouth or in theirs’. Even if it's free and I “save” a dollar. So as their parent, I got to say no. Instead we spent $8 on a large fruit smoothie drink we all shared.
Sometimes it feels easier to give in and give up. No one wants to be known as the mean mother who is obsessed with health and therefore won’t let her kids be the ones with the cool snacks.
So I try to have balance.
For me, balance means I do give up my health principles when my kids are out of the house--in school, shul or at friends. Even then, I encourage them to not go too far, to say no to sodas and “sell” me their gatorades. But there are no guarantees. The one thing I try to stick to is that I myself won't actually buy junk food (95% of the time at least, i hope.). Today is the 5% of the time, when I am buying ice cream for my son’s birthday. Even now I try to pick the lesser of two evils. I won't get the cones but I'll get some color-free sprinkles, and the ice cream is instead of colored frosting topped cupcakes (sadly, there are times I do buy those).
Anyway, time to get off my soapbox. Though there is so much to talk about. If something is important to you, you don't have to be bullied into giving in to the kids and the pressure.
If a child c”v wanted to do something terrible, or marry an unfitting person, would you help them with it? Would you make the wedding? Sometimes it's ok to stand up for yourself.
Don’t worry about getting a free one dollar slurpee. Your improved health without it is priceless. As my husband retorts to the kiddos when they complain about this deprivation, “Nu, so you’ll live a little longer…”
Have a good, slurpee-less day!
Nechama Smith
P.S. Email me at nechamasmith@gmail.com to hear more about my nutrition therapy practice, coming up soon, in September iyH and how I can help you. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Comentarios