Today on her Facebook page, "A Healthier and Happier You", personal trainer and fitness guru Jessica Clark posed the following question: "For you moms and dads...do you try your best to keep...sugar filled and processed foods from your children...?" She admits that she feels "judged by some people when I don't allow [sugary, processed foods]", and wonders "Isn't that strange to be judged for good choices but no one thinks it is strange when you load your kid up with crap?" I felt compelled to to share with her two of my previous posts that deal with the overabundance of crap that our kids have access to: Oh Yum, Fresh Chemicals and Eat Healthy, Eat Healthy, Eat Healthy...Here, Have Some Crap. As you know, I am concerned about the same thing, and I have been judged for nixing crappy food.
If you think about it, a mom who insists on a healthy diet for her child (and herself) is probably intimidating to a junk food mom. As any mom will tell you, 99% of us are not confident and often worry that we are screwing up the whole motherhood thing. Moms are notorious for judging one another, and the fear of being judged by another mom is enough to strike fear into a woman's heart. Junk Food Mom looks at Health Food Mom and thinks "Oh, she probably makes all her kid's food from scratch using only organic ingredients that she grew herself, when she wasn't busy working full time, running a marathon, and coaching her kid's soccer team. She must think she's way better than I am." Maybe Junk Food Mom is judging Health Food Mom's "holier than thou" attitude, without realizing that Health Food Mom doesn't have an attitude to begin with. Junk Food Mom probably loves her child every bit as much as Health Food Mom, but isn't as informed or convinced or passionate about making healthy choices and has talked herself into believing that she is being condemned by Health Food Mom. Health Food Mom's food choices can be perceived as a personal attack, questioning Junk Food Mom's love for her own child! If Health Food Mom would just buy a candy bar or a Coke or a box of Twinkies, she wouldn't have the right to question Junk Food Mom's maternal love!
Junk Food Mom would probably argue, "jeez, a Big Mac or Krispy Kreme doughnut or Slurpee won't kill you", and technically, she would be correct. Sure, those "foods" are full of empty calories, fat, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, but one serving won't kill you. It might even taste good. However, researchers are telling us over and over that these "foods" contain ingredients that are addictive and keep people wanting more and more and more. Once you fall into that trap, it's hard to get out, and your waistline, blood pressure and overall health will suffer. Health Food Mom has learned that--perhaps the hard way--and wants to keep her child from suffering such a fate. Fast Food Mom hasn't made that connection, or naively thinks the effects of a bad diet can be undone easily, at a later time. And after all, Junk Food Kid loves his junk food. Junk Food Mom shows her love for her child by providing him with what he loves..
So that's my take on Ms. Clark's post. Unless Junk Food Mom is just a lazy slob who can't be bothered to provide decent nourishment for her kid. In that case, she deserves to be judged. Rock on, Health Food Mom!
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