Healthy Food Choices
As a mom, I am always concern about my daughter’s diet. I am always making sure that she eats food that is healthy for her and at the same time, food that she will enjoy eating, and whenever I get advice on how to better my child’s diet, I am all open for it, because after all, I want the best for her. If you sit for a minute to think about this, you will agree with me. Ultimately, parents always want what is best for their kids.
Unfortunately, not ALL parents want the best for their kids, at least not when it comes to nutrition. In an attempt to reduce the high number of obese children in the Unites States and in an effort to prevent or reduce Diabetes in children, the first lady Michelle Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. This bill will allow, or force, schools to start serving better, more healthy and nutritious foods to kids all over the nation. This bill has also affected franchises such as Burger King and McDonalds since they also have to add more fruits and vegetables to their famous Happy Meals and if they fail to do so, they will no longer be allow to sell the meals that makes children so happy.
My question is this: If something is going to benefit our children, why would we get upset about it? Honestly, we have to keep our priorities straight. When I hear parents complaining about the first lady signing the bill, it infuriates me. She is only looking out for our children’s health. If that is the case, then why do we not flip out on our children’s doctors when they tell us to follow a specific diet, or to give our children a specific medicine when they are sick? It is the same thing, but those parents who feel their kids should be able to eat anything in the name of “freedom” are simply being selfish, period.
The first lady was highly criticized by Rush Limbaugh, saying she was a hypocrite for eating ribs while on vacation, but then forcing the nation to eat healthy. However, republicans like Chris Christie, New Jersey Governor, came to the defense of the first lady saying that obesity threatens the welfare of the entire nation. With this much information about obesity and the high risks of diabetes and cancer in our children, it is beyond me that there are parents who criticize Michelle Obama for her efforts to help our kids.
In an effort to better understand both points of view on this topic, I asked different mothers what they thought about this new food act. The responses were very different, here are a few:
“If it’s going to help our children and keep them healthier, then why not?” said Jaqueline Gomez
“I am actually very excited about the bill. I waited a long time for this change because the food serve in schools is the opposite of healthy.” Said my aunt Maria Velez
“We should be able to feed our children whatever we want, especially because they’re our children. Nobody else should tell us what we give them or what we feed them” said Shirley Restrepo.
If we want healthier children, we must do our part people, let’s get with the program. In the given case that you believe we should have the right to feed our children whatever we want and we should not be told by anyone what to feed them, then do not complaint if in the future your children turn out to be diabetic, obese or at risk of cancer. We cannot have it both ways.
