Click to listen to the audio…
How to protect your child from childhood obesity
It’s got nothing to do with dietary habits, meal time routines, frequency of family meals, time spent watching TV or physical activity, the problem is….
You’re a working Mom.
- Maybe it’s a case of YOU HAVE TO, there are bills to pay etc. In you fantasy life, you’d be a stay at home Mom.
- Maybe YOU LOVE IT, you’re smart, sassy and capable and enjoy “having” it ALL.
No matter the situation, your job impacts your family.
And, when it comes to your little’s ones weight – statistics suggest, your kid is more likely to have weight issues.
Since “fat” kids …
- Become “fat” adults
- Are at risk of multiple health issues, both as kids and as grown ups
- Are often mercilessly teased and stigmatized
This is an impact, you want to eliminate.
You’re a GOOD mom
As a working Mom, you’re making sure that you are creating a fabulous home life. You buy healthy foods, prepare healthy meals, insist on “family” time etc.
In a nut shell – you’re working hard to do everything “right”.
And you do it “right”, most days at least.
Because……………….
Underneath you’re “SUPER WOMEN”.
Seriously, you are.
It is really hard to juggle a job and a family. And, all the effort is seldom acknowledged or complimented.
But, your child is still at risk of obesity. Why ?
A day in the life……..
Researchers from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, wanted to know, why maternal employment, was an obesity risk. So, they asked 247 Moms of tots, attending day care facilities, exactly what was happening on the home front every day and they correlated these findings with their child’s “weight” (BMI).
In the group of Moms surveyed….
Most of the Moms worked full time jobs i.e. they spent more than 35 hours a week, working for THE MAN. The remaining Moms ranged from the classic “stay at home” Mom, all the way through to Moms, working just under 35 hours a week.
Ultimately, the Moms were classified into one of three categories…
Within the group of pre-schoolers, 17 % were overweight and 12 % were obese.
All moms do it “RIGHT”
All three groups of Moms were working hard, being Moms.
There was no difference in
- Dietary habits
- Meal time routines
- Frequency of family meals
- Time spent watching TV
- Physical activity
The only difference between the three groups, was how long junior spent in bed.
And, as it turned out, this mattered……………..
Working Moms are time crunched
To fit everything in, working Moms experience LONGER DAYS.
And…………………. kids of working moms, end up experiencing LONGER DAYS.
- Sometimes, it is an earlier start, to ensure Mom arrives on time for work.
- Sometimes, it is a later bed time, because the evening rituals of making dinner and bathing are delayed.
The LONGER DAYS…………… mean SHORTER NIGHTS.
Less sleep is the trigger for obesity.
Protect your little one
By “watching” the length of their day….
Now that you’re aware, this is an issue, I am sure, you can find ways to adjust your routine, so they get the longest night possible.
NOTE :If you face serious BEDTIME RESISTANCE – it’s not inevitable, it’s biology and it can be fixed. Click here to find out how to “Avoid the bedtime blues by synchronizing your child’s clock with the clock on the wall”.
Further reading
Batman can rescue your child from poor food choices
You desperately want your kid to “eat right”. On the home front, you have control over what junior shovels down, but beyond your home is another story.
Only red light nights can protect kids from the boogeyman
That night light may not be protecting your child from the boogeyman – if the light is not red, it is aligned with the boogeyman.
Bright sparks go to bed at the same time every night
There is more to sleep than just getting the quota, getting it in at a consistent time, is critical for developing brains. irregular bedtimes tire little brains