Every so often I get asked why we are somewhat relaxed when it comes to the boys diets over the weekends as they are both adhd and Gabriel has a long list of allergies; diet is incredibly important to managing not only their health but their disorders as well.
Basically in our house the rules are as follows during the week whilst they are attending school I insist on cooking a proper breakfast in the morning, they get a healthy packed lunch every day that consists of at least 3 fresh fruits, a yoghurt, a sandwich with dried fruit or raisins/ nuts (in Loghans case) as an alternative to sweets and diluted juice or water to go along with it, we do not allow take away's during the week.
On the weekends however we are somewhat more relaxed the boys are allowed cereal, they are allowed a treat or two and once a month I will get them a take out meal, on Fridays if they have had a good week they are also allowed to get tuck shop for lunch however they receive enough money to get a hotdog and then something extra and I still pack in fruit and a yoghurt which their teacher knows they have to eat first before anything else.
The reason we do this is as follows:
A; During the week we are not the ones who have to deal with them the skills their behavior and reaction to sugar they need to be able to function properly during the school day and it would not be fair to them or their teacher to give them junk during that time, it would also mean that you are inhibiting the ability for their meds to work properly as they should
B; Kids need to be kids I don't feel that they should constantly be forced to eat a certain way I think they should be allowed some leeway so that they can learn to tell the difference in their body and their reaction to certain foods so that they can make the correct choices as at some point they will be teens and then adults and they need to learn to make the right choices on their own
C. I remember as a child I had a plate for my teeth I was not allowed to eat so many things and I hated it in fact I couldn't wait to get out of the house or go to someone else's house and eat what I wanted to the point where one day I broke my plate I got so irritated with it. I do not want it to be the same with my kids I want them to know that they do have some lee way albeit a small amount and they dont need to go somewhere else and gulp down candy till they are sick because they never get it at home.
Honestly I feel like they boys already have a good idea of what they should or shouldn't eat when we go to a party and they have cake we will get home and they will say mommy I had to much sugar I don't feel well or they will 9/10 ask for a cooked breakfast on the weekends even with cereal available...
So that's that I know there will be a few people that disagree with me but its not like we poor sugar down their throats every weekend we just allow them a bit of freedom, we are teaching them the skills to make good choices on their own because we cant always be there to make those choices for them and a big part of learning to cope with a disorder is learning the skills to cope on your own and know what is good for them and what isnt.
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