Live Holistically is a multi-author site.
This post was written by: MichelleVan
When my little girl was a baby, I was so careful to feed her organic whole foods. I introduced soy and rice milk, and lots of fruits and veggies. (I was careful with the soy as there is some research to suggest soy isn’t everything that it’s cracked up to be…)
We did a lot of feel good holistic things with our daughter. Baby Wearing, Co-Sleeping, lots of holding and cuddling. I taught her sign language which I firmly believe has put her language skills about a year ahead. We didn’t use babysitters for the first two years, and I gave up a career to stay home with her.
Aren’t these just old fashioned family values? Who would have thought it would all be so controversial?
Now that my daughter is three, I spend time developing her body, mind and spirit, as I do for myself. When life gets a bit tense, as of course it does with a three year old in the house, K and I breathe together. Five deep long breaths. Then if need be, we ‘Tickle the Grumpy” out of each other, and remember that love and communication is our first priority. Pretty crunchy-granola-touchy-feely, don’t you think?
That is why I surprised myself when we started going to McDonald’s. Of course I never eat the food, (well maybe I do sneak a few french fries now and again), when I order “One Cheeseburger Happy Meal Please.”
Before kids I thought, I’ll never set foot in there, the food sucks. But you know what? I like that she’s got a safe place to play on a rainy or too hot day with other kids her age while eating french fries with ketchup.
And it’s only once in a while.
For me living a holistic lifestyle means living in balance, that means not getting so attached to an ideal that I miss out on life. I used to take a position so strongly that I would alienate people from my life. You know, like I wouldn’t be friends with you because you went back to eating meat? Yea, that’s pretty alienating.
I’m older and wiser now. At least I’m older and we’re all on the path doing the best we can do in the moment, and as Oprah says, ‘when we know better we do better’, right?
So, I took K along with my ex-foster child to McDonald’s today.
Friends, French Fries, Fun.
We had a good time.
Tags: -crunchy granola whole food
9 comments ↓
If you forbid anything that won’t cause drastic harm, not only do you become an overbearing force as far as your children are concerned, but it leads to trouble later in life.
Better to let them be the same as their friends some of the time, and work the food thing by example.
I think it’s a good memory and if it’s only once in awhile what’s the harm? McDonald’s was so rare when I was growing up it was special. We went three or four times a year.
I do think that strict vegetarians are missing out on
some mouthwatering dishes that can be made with poultry, beef and fish. And don’t children who are exposed to a variety of foods have more healthy and balanced diets?
[…] take yourself too seriously, we are all on the path learning together. I know I shouldn’t have to say it, but none of us […]
[…] take yourself too seriously, we are all on the path learning together. I know I shouldn’t have to say it, but none of us […]
At a wonderful new mother support group I attended in Bondi after the birth of my first child, the discussion turned to a heated one on the pros & cons of immunisation. Later a young, first time mum declared she would only feed her child organic food. Many agreed with her ethusiastically. An older woman sitting next to me sighed. Hers was a mid-life surprise 3rd baby. She leaned over to me and said in voice full of wisdom and exhaustion, “I’m just glad my 16yr old daughter isn’t on heroin.” It is 8 years later and I still think of her when I need balance.
Well Said Karen!
[…]I got a great comment on this post, My Crunch Granola Preschool Holistic Daughter and Macdonald. […]
It seems the older I become the more I have to think about what and when I eat. I got an invite to a friend’s house for dinner today. I asked what time dinner would be, they said about 6:30, and that Steve was making Spaghetti. I said that was a little late and heavy for me to eat at that hour, but I could come by for a visit while they prepared dinner. They said great. I hiked over with Pieper. They served me some wonderful Cold Borsch. Yum! We set on their deck and had a great visit for about an hour or so and Steve drove me home.
I love these people. They are flexible and easy…just my style. Ain’t it grand when we can bend and make choices that create such Fun!
Leave a Comment