A CHILD AND HIS FOOD

The vexatious problem of getting a child to eat what is healthy will always reduce parents to despair. As a school Principal I have all too often had to ask parents what exactly they feed their child for her/him to be so over-active, alternatively listless, distracted in class, dis-interested in sports, getting poor grades and a plethora of other drawbacks to a child’s progress in school. I get the expected answer. “He won’t eat anything Mrs. G. He only eats rice with chicken. He won’t eat greens or vegetables. He won’t eat fruit……’ and so it goes.

A litany of what a child will not eat. I lay the blame squarely on extremely poor early training. Here is an example. A slightly overweight child was brought into my office one morning. He was in the Upper KG ready to go into Grade One soon. His teacher complained of aggressive behaviour and a highly restless nature. His parents were sent for. This was how the conversation went. “May I know what his daily diet is?”

I must make a comment here on the fact that Sri Lankan food is extremely healthy. Malluns, fish, vegetables, dhal and rice at lunch used to be most pupils' daily diet when I was a school girl. 

“Cornflakes in the morning, Fish or chicken for lunch. Sausages and mash at night.”

‘No vegetables?”

“He likes potatoes.”

“No greens?”

“He won’t look at them.”

I could see where that extra weight came from but I was appalled by the ridiculous menu. I gave his parents a lecture on dietetics and said I would see them in a month. A month to the day his father arrived.

‘Is he eating any better”?

“Mrs. G. It’s useless. If we don’t give him what he likes he won’t eat at all.”

“You mean he just misses the meal?” ‘No, no . His mother takes him to some restaurant for him to eat something he likes other than what is cooked at home.”

“Have you considered letting him go without anything but water for a day or even two?” I ask hopefully.

“MADAM! What are you saying! Even his mother will stop eating if I suggest sucha thing.”

“That’s alright,” I say cheerfully. “Diets are good for the entire family once in a way.”

By his horrified expression I realize there is nothing to be done. Neither parent can bear the thought of their only child missing a meal. That poor boy will have enormous health issues as he gets older and his progress in school will not be a scintillating one.

Now I get to another problem that seriously affects teenage girls. This is the problem of Anorexia. It is far more common than parents realize. The desire to be slim is carried to extremes and can become obsessive.

Teachers noticed that Andi’s work was dropping and she was not looking well. A few well placed questions revealed the fact she hardly ate. Fortunately she had wonderful parents who recognised it was a psychological matter and whisked her off to a psychiatrist at once. I am glad to say that today she is happily married with two children and is actually slightly overweight! Not all anorexic cases end this happily, however, because of the prejudice against psychiatric care. Parents would do well to look into this problem and check on their daughter’s daily food intake. I must make a comment here on the fact that Sri Lankan food is extremely healthy. Malluns, fish, vegetables, dhal and rice at lunch used to be most pupils' daily diet when I was a school girl. This may not be a possibility now with the bewildering amount of school work and sport requirements that take up the life of a youngster.

Whatever quandary each family faces, parents must resolve the issue as best as they can. Proper nutrition if vital and there is no excuse for fast foods to take the place of sensible eating habits. Then there is the over indulgent parent. A little 4 year old boy arrived in my office for entry into the Lower KG. Within minutes he had snatched my pen from its holder, rung my office bell so hard two maids came running into the room, pulled a few books off of a shelf that contained the works of Jane Austen and was so rambunctious I had to ask my Secretary to help distract him. “He is so interested in everything,” his mother said fondly seeing nothing wrong in his deplorable behaviour.  “He is over active Mrs. W,” I replied sternly. Ofcourse I asked for his diet. It seemed to be a sensible one until his father added that he also consumed a Mars chocolate bar a day. That sugar intake was speedily halted and the parents agreed it was for the better. The battle between parents forcing sensible eating habits and the child’s acceptance of them is formidable. If the child is very young it can be handled by a firm parent who will simply refuse to change the menu. Witness another little 4 year old who sat in her high chair and refused her lunch.

‘OK’, said her mother. “You can just sit there till the rest of us finish eating and if you haven’t finished you will get the same thing for dinner.” Little Priti fell asleep at the table and was carried to bed. She was ravenous when she awoke but had to wait until it was time for dinner. When dinner time came the same food was reheated and put in front of Priti who was so hungry she ate everything without a murmur. There were no quarrels about food after that.

I lay the blame squarely on extremely poor early training... 

The point parents must realize is that the enforced skipping of a meal can do a child a world of good. No child will want to starve. He will eat eventually. It is really a matter of which side holds out longest. Motherly panic may eventually allow the child to win the food battle but if parents stick to given rules of eating it will make the arena less combative. Properly handled food is one of the pleasures of life. Children should not be allowed to let temper tantrums play havoc with their health. Sensible eating when young guarantees a lifetime of good health. I should know. I have had a long lifetime of good health and put it down to the fact that I was brought up a Vegetarian. I never tasted meat or fish till I married. I cannot say that my Indian father made our menus feasts of delight but our taste buds were never his concern. We ate what we were given or starved otherwise! My sister and I were always bursting with good health. Perhaps I should write next about the advantages of vegetarianism. It might become popular in a primarily Buddhist country!