for our kids

The other day when I was trying to feed Eden she was screaming like she was in so much pain.  For the life of me I could not figure out what was wrong.  She had just woken up from an awesome nap.  I had just changed her diaper and was attempting to feed but she was not interested.  Hm.

Then I heard it- rumblings in her tummy and spilling out into her diaper.  She was having major indigestion. My mind immediately started spinning as I frantically wondered what I could have eaten in the past 24 hours that would cause such pain to my daughter.  

The reality that through the miraculous gift of nursing my daughter eats what I eat is the perfect accountability for me to be making healthy choices with what I put into my mouth. 

If not for my own benefit, I want to be healthy for Eden's sake. 

This is true in other ways as I ponder holistic health.  I want to have healthy thoughts, healthy emotions, healthy finances, healthy communication, and healthy relationships for Eden's sake also. 

While most parents would never intentionally hurt their children, I bet I am not the only one that unintentionally caused harm by indirectly not making healthy choices in my own life.  My experience with nursing is the perfect example; I would never intentionally hurt Eden, but then I remembered I ate something the day before and she was digesting that. 

And Eden was in pain. 

Because of me. 

I need to have better awareness as to how my choices affect her.

I teach first grade and always find it fascinating at the first parent teacher conferences as I recognize that kids model after what their parents do, not necessarily what they say.  Usually by the end of our conference I have learned so much more about why that particular child acts the way they do. 

For example, there is nothing more entertaining than to see a disheveled parent come rushing in late, frantically scrambling to find a pen in their purse, and then in the middle of the conference reprimand their child for not being more organized in school. 

Often times the apple really does not fall far from the tree because kids are watching their parents' every move; they model the behavior of their parents and are effected by their parents choices.

While there is no such thing as a "perfect parent," it is a wonderful goal to strive to be a healthy parent by making healthy choices.

We could all give more thought to what we say, how we treat others, what we eat, how we communicate, how we spend our time and money, and what kind of general behaviors we are modeling to those around us. 

If not for ourselves, let's pursue a healthy lifestyle for the benefit of our kids.