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Health & Fitness

Strong4Life: This Mother's Day, I'm Celebrating the "Mean Moms" for Being Great Role Models!

No one ever said that being a mom is easy! As a matter of fact, kids sometimes think we're mean just because we don't let them do what they want or make them do things they don't want to do.

No one ever said that being a mom is easy! As a matter of fact, kids sometimes think we're mean just because we don't let them do what they want or make them do things they don't want to do. Want to hear about what a "mean" mom I am?

The other day, my youngest son and I were in the grocery store buying produce. He really wanted a sports drink, which I vetoed. He got upset, threw a little tantrum and said I was "mean." I told him that if he was unhappy with me, he could go to the “Mom Aisle” and pick out another mom...one who would clearly love him less if she buys him the junk food he wants. While still not happy, he got the point.

Believe me, keeping my own kids on a healthy track isn’t always easy. I get my fair share of “you’re so mean” and “that’s not fair.” But instead of feeling a flare of guilt, I’ve learned to take these comments as compliments. I remind myself that my kids’ reaction to my healthy limits means I’m being a good parent. 

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Setting limits is one of the hardest aspects of parenting. Our natural inclination is to please our children. Of course, we want them to be happy, but we also want them to be healthy, right?  

So how do we strike a balance between happy and healthy? The same way we do everything else as a parent—through our actions and with our love. 

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For better or for worse, our children are shaped by the behaviors we role model for them. The question then becomes what kind of adults and future parents are we teaching them to be one day? We can impact our children's health by showing them that healthy behaviors are important to us. Together we can stop the cycle of unhealthy behaviors from one generation to the next. This is truly one of the greatest gifts you can give them.

As a pediatrician, I’m fortunate to meet many loving moms striving to be good role models. Let me tell you about three special moms I have gotten to know.

Maria has two teenagers struggling with their weight and consequently, their health. During their first visit to the Health4Life Clinic, we reviewed the Ps and Cs of eating. What happened next really surprised us both! Back at home, Maria removed all the unhealthy snacks and drinks from the house. She waited for the objection from her kids, but it never came. In fact, they weren’t even upset with her. Maria realized she was in charge of the food offered in her home. Period. There was no discussion and no rebellion because Maria wasn’t emotional about it—she was simply doing her job as a good mom. 

Another Health4Life mom, Sonya, has a daughter struggling with weight and a son who isn’t. The son feels he is entitled to have junk food in the house and shouldn’t be punished for his “sister’s problems.” Sonya had been trying to limit what her daughter ate, while allowing her son access to snacks. But after we talked, she realized that weight isn’t the real issue at all, for either kid—the real issue is good health. Her son needs to eat healthier foods, regardless of his weight. So Sonya has implemented rules for the entire family and stood by them because she knew it was good for all of them.

Finally, last year Tracey—a mom Camp Strong4Life mom, told me she wanted her teenage son to be more active. We set achievable goals that allowed him to be successful. To Tracey’s credit, she realized that health is a long-term goal, not something to achieve overnight, so she helped her son explore the activities hefound fun so he’d be motivated to stick with them. She also saw him responding to the positive and encouraging nature of the camp setting and used the same approach at home. 

I could go on and on with stories about great moms who work every day to set limits and keep their kids healthy—even when it’s not very popular. Share your story of when you were a "Mean Mom," or celebrate a mom who you think is truly Strong4Life by commenting below or joining us on our Facebook and Twitterpages. To all of you wonderful, “mean” moms out there, keep up the good work and Happy Mother’s Day!

Strong4Life is a movement created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to address the childhood obesity medical crisis that is threatening nearly one million kids in Georgia. For information about Strong4Life visit our website,FacebookTwitterYouTube, and Strong4Life Blog.

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