The Drevitches, Week 8: The Kids Resist; We Prepare to Revel Responsibly

I agree completely and besides peoples' taste for foods change as they grow up. when I was a kid I loved sodas and candy. I don't care for either anymore.

I don't know how old the parents of this family are, but if they are younger than say 33, the home ec. classes were probably discontinued at their schools. We learned about nutrition, as well as preparing food and treats from scratch. Many schoold districts discontinued offering home ec. in order to save money.

Did you make it? Or did your wife?
You grew up in the 50s and 60s so you may not realize that women these days have jobs just like men do. And if men don't have time to cook a full meal seven days a week, neither do women, who usually also have to shepherd the kids around from soccer practice to ballet, etc.
Yet the responsibility for feeding the family still falls nearly entirely on the woman's shoulders in most cases. Think about that before you comment on how it used to be in the good ol' days, before women had more opportunities.

@ w00t: Get off your feminazi high horse. The point is you don't need to worry about every bite you put in your mouth if you aren't sitting around on your a** playing on the computer. If parents would actually send their kids outside to play, the responsibility of planning and preparing basic, nutritious meals doesn't require all that much effort. This is not the appropriate forum to argue about division of household duties or whether any household actually NEEDS two incomes. (Remember, back in the 50s and 60s, not only did our moms and grandmas cook real meals, they also ironed our shirts and did a bunch of work that most of today's women couldn't even fathom; so, it's not like women ever spent 168 hours a week cooking.) Suffice to say, gordy has an excellent point.

The fast food places you named did not exist in the 50's in our state. Back then, fast food was considered a hamburg and coke at the local restaurant. It cost 35 cents. So what! It takes both parents working to support the family now. Your pompous ideas are outdated. Parents are doing the best they can under their particular circumstances. Nutritionists and exercise nuts are giving parents a guilt trip. Children cannot play outside because it is not safe. My son would only eat certain foods. He is now a happy, healthy adult. He is not overweight although his favorite food was spaghetti.

My mother allowed me and all of my siblings to eat what we wanted to and we are all six over 65, healthy and happy. It did not matter if there had to be three types of meats on the diner table to accomodate each one's taste. I did not eat vegetables until I became an adult. Nobody is awfully fat nor do we spend our lives at the doctor because of illness. Too many restrictions make life unbearable.

I am a 36 year old mother of a 14 year old boy and wife for 16 years. I have a full time job on 3rd shift. I shlep my son from practice, clean the house ...yadda yadda yadda and make a meal every night including nights when my kid has a competition. With that meal you will have a meat, one nutritious/heart healthy carb and a vegitable that is not canned. There are and should not be any excuses whether you do or don't work. You make the decision to take the upmost care for your child before he or she is born and suppose to guide them and show by example. Sounds to me these excuses are just plan laziness. I'm just sayin'.

I am confused as to why you say it is unsafe for your/our children to play outside. There have and always will be unsafe conditions for children to play in. Again, it is your responsibility to watch your children and know of their whereabouts. How in God's name did so many kids survive for this long? Sure, there are the molesters and kidnappers and the druggies, drunk drivers ...etc. Did you not go out and play? Did you not learn of stranger danger? Did your parents not teach you to NOT take candy from a stranger or lick stamps that people gave you? Did they not teach you to not leave with someone you don't know and to scream like hell if they did? Did you not learn of Adam Walsh, fire drills, stop drop and roll and other life saving techniques that are never full proof? Have you not taught your children these things?
I am amazed at how lazy parents have become and how much they take for granted that others are to teach their children. It is however easier to sit your child in front of the TV as a toddler and let Barney entertain them/babysit them than it is for you to interact and teach them from an early age. It still holds true as they grow up and the tv still occupies their time as well as video games and computers. What ever your excuses are will not interest me. It is not safe for children to go out and play ... LMAO!!! That's why someone is always in charge of yelling CAR!!! when you are playing in the street.

This does not sound like opportunities for women, it sounds like the absence of opportunities. In the 50's and 60's one person could earn enough money for the familty to live on, now two have to work to have the same thing. Opportunity, nope, not hardly.

All these points are well taken, but we're overlooking the fact that parents don't have to "cook" all of the kid's meals. They probably only need one hot meal a day, and it doesn't need to take more than thirty minutes to prepare.

I think we are the only species that insists on having a hot meal for every meal. We need to tell the kids to suck it up and have some cold cuts or a peanut butter sandwich with some carrots. If they don't want to eat it, unless it's broiled steak in wine sauce, than they aren't really hungry. I had two bowls of cold cereal this morning, and that just suited me fine.

As far as women eating out because they are on the career track, is it right to replace one form of near slavery with another? There are too many fast food restaurants now days.

Quarterback,you're correct that vegetables are carbs.But they contain much fewer amounts of carbs than "goodies".
I *think* the writer was wrting that ssentence inclusively--meaning basically" if you're lowering carbs and/or teying to eat more vegetables"....
Meaning eating more vege is a good idea, but eating potatoes(which are strachy vegetables) isn't as great an idea..French Fries are worse.
I never like the type of diets that contained *no* carbs--meaning not even vegetables.(unles it's a specialized quick weight loss) but *lowering* carbs doesn't have to mean no vegetables at all, certainly.You know?

When talking about carbs,they are mostly talking grains.Eat lots of veggies and fruit,and a bit of meat.Try adding super foods to a smoothie.Super foods are Spirulina,Chlorella,maca root,and red beet, Or take them in a capsule

Do you have kids? do you work full time? kids can really change your body, so just wondering if you have kids if you have such a great body

I think that it is wonderful that you take such good care of yourself, I really do. Taking care of oneself is not a contest though-it is a choice. You are not alone in your accomplishments either, my friend. There are many people, men and women with and without children who make the same choice on a daily basis as well. I have two amazing children, 16 and 4. I also have four amazing stepchildren, and when everyone is together there is no time for myself-and I wouldn't change that for the world! I will be 43 in a week and I am 5'4 116lbs. Which fluctuates at times but not too badly.We, thankfully, work full time as well. We try to exercise as a family-if we all cannot join in then my daughter and I go down back, run, jump, play on the trampoline, bicycle, badminton etc. We eat healthy foods and once in awhile we indulge and eat something from Burger King, McDonald's or Grandes pizza. Soda is a treat, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years and I will NEVER give up chocolate! lol We are also very fortunate to live next door to my in-laws who own 50 acres of land. We grow our own veggies and Dad planted five apple trees last Spring. During the Winter months, we "hike" goof around in the snow, get exercise using the Wii. Again, you are not alone and congratulations on your accomplishments you should be proud because most people know how difficult staying healthy can be! By the way as far as a prize have you considered that living a happy, healthy, confident life is the "prize"? I wish you well and continued success with your choice to live a healthy lifestyle!