Poor child health and parents' choices

Lazy parenting and our poor food choices for our kids is putting them on the road to poor health.

Vitamin D lacking in many American teens.

"Teens in the study with the lowest vitamin D levels were more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure and high blood sugar. They were also four times more likely to have metabolic syndrome, defined as have three of more conditions that contribute to heart disease and diabetes — including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, big waists and high cholesterol."

And WHY are our kids not getting enough vitamin D?  When our own bodies make it from good ol' sunshine?

"Dr. Randal Thomas, director of the cardiovascular health clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said that it's likely that vitamin D deficiencies in teens stem from unhealthy diets and lack of exercise outdoors.

"If their diet includes chips and soft drinks, they're probably not getting enough vitamin D," said Thomas."

Ignoring the food factor (!!)( for now), it's tragic that something as simple as taking away the gameboy, the ipod, and the cellphone; turning off the computer, the Wii, and the television could help keep our kids from being predisposed to diabetes and heart disease!  All because some of today's parents can't be arsed to actually parent and have been parking Brisynne and Colt in front of some electronic device "just for a minute while I (fill in the blank)" since they were toddlers?

Shut it off, mom.  Take it away. Kennydeigh Skyee will NOT die if she can't text her friends for a half hour and Ian Noah Tristan won't perish from lack of his iPod shuffle.  Shove 'em outside. Better yet, get up from in front of that computer yourself and take everyone for a little walk - down the street, in a park, at the zoo - something.

Pack a healthy lunch (stopping for fast food gets you negative karma) and eat on a bench in the shade. 

You'll get to actually converse with your child (no earbuds or button-pushing!) and you'll feel better, too.

Moms of kids between 18 months and 4: no fair powerwalking your own arse fat off whilst pushing that Mountain Buggy Urban Elite.  Take Reivynne ("pronounced 'Raven'") OUT of the stroller and walk along at a toddler's pace for once. Let her look at bugs and put rocks in her pockets. Relax. It's kinda cool.

And yes, I practice what I preach, and I've got five. Yes, it sucks sometimes when you are as busy as we all are. But it's good for my babies and what's good for my babies take precedence over everything else in my life.

Yours too, I'll wager.

C'mon. I challenge ya. Give it a try.