So as a family, we had decided to give up sugar for lent. I was really proud of how the the kids were handling the absence of sugar emotionally and physically.
And then it came… Easter weekend. And here I sat conflicted. What do I do as a parent? As a health coach? As an individual who is making changes to my diet which is excluding sugar?
So I made a calculated decision and set an intention. The Easter bunny came and the kids were allowed to indulge in some treats with out me setting limitation or barking orders. I sat there like a fly on the wall observing and biting my lips.
After a few hours passed, I felt a tug on my shirt and I was greeted with some really big puppy dog eyes and an upside down smile with an even bigger lower lip protruding. Then I heard this very small but precious voice “mommy my tummy hurts”.
There it was the opening that I was looking for. Instead of me telling them candy and sugar is bad for their bodies and needs to be consumed in moderation my kids had their own experience. Naturally it was magnified by the absence of sugar in their blood stream for 40 days.
The kids and I have had some wonderful ah ha moments around sugar this weekend. We had a blast finding all the sugary treats (and some not so sugary treats like sunglasses and soccer balls), but most importantly my kids had an experience around sugar that was not very comfortable and they felt safe enough to talk about it with me and explore options.
My intention was to shift them around sugar and sugar consumption and its effects on the body. It a process I know but I feel successful because the kids graciously gave away half of the candy and they gobbled down cucumber slices at the dinner table. Talk about a miracle.
However, the even bigger gift, which I never could have imagined came on the parenting scale, if and when the time comes when they choose to put other poisons in their body (ie alcohol) I feel like I laid down a foundation this past weekend where we can have an open conversation with me. Instead of me telling them what choices to make or not to make they will feel safe enough to talk to me and empowered enough to make their own decision about their health.
I sit in gratitude for this Easter weekend and it will forever hold a place in my heart.
Written by: Kimberly Shuttleworth, Heart Led Living Coach, Fitness & Wellness Coach, Proud single Mother of 2 boys
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