Not literally, of course.
I’m talking about the discussions we’ve been having about getting the Trog Kids on to the Paleo track. Don’t get me wrong, our kids are not overweight or particularly unhealthy, but the more we learn about Paleo living, the more we wonder why we would exclude our children.
Let me demonstrate… A typical conversation with my returning-from-school 5 year old son:-
“Can I have a snack?”
“Yes, have an apple.”
Elapsed time 5 minutes…
“Can I have another snack?”
“No, wait til tea time”.
“Waaaaaahhhh! Can I have a healthy snack? A peeled carrot?” (cow eyes)
“OK.”
Elapsed time 7 minutes…
“Can I have my second apple?” (He has literally had to be rationed on apple-eating. The kid has a fruit issue, what can I say?
“Have you got a bloody worm?” (swearing for dramatic emphasis only, of course)
And so the conversation continues, on and on for an hour or more.
A few weeks ago we began to reduce the grain and sugar intake in their diet, replacing cereal/toast breakfasts with bacon. Trog Kid 1 (aged 12) elected to take packed lunches to school – excellent. Still some yoghurt and crisps, but the bread is gone, and there are grapes in his diet. This is, in itself, some kind of miracle. Praise Jesus.
We are also a fully-fledged CrossFit family. Both boys take part in appropriate-aged sessions and LOVE it! I really can’t recommend it highly enough for older boys – it gives them a real sense of becoming a man. What teenage boy doesn’t want a 6 pack, right?
Within a few weeks the small amount of puppy fat hanging around their middles has diminished/gone. No one is complaining either. But sugar and kids is a tough nut to crack.
So, last night, a sit-down family discussion took place. We explained the evils of sugar and why they may FEEL hungry but aren’t really hungry. Nods and agreement. Sugar has to go then. Yep.
“Mum, can I have a piece of cake?”
So this may take a little longer than we had thought.
turningtroglodyte 