Jules Sebastian: ‘Parents shouldn’t be afraid to get tough with their kids’ food habits’
FOR Jules Sebastian and her husband Guy, trying to get their two young boys to eat healthier was often hit and miss. Then she discovered that the secret to success starts with her.
Stellar
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FOR Jules Sebastian and her husband Guy, trying to get their two young boys to eat healthier was often hit and miss. Then the TV presenter and stylist, 35, discovered that the secret to success starts with her.
I used to feel the pressure of having to do everything, until I realised that while I was doing it all, I wasn’t doing anything all that well. I was always super-rushed and in a hurry, trying to be everywhere at once: picking up the kids, talking on the phone, replying to emails. Of course I became overwhelmed and anxious. And that affects your relationships with your husband, your kids, your colleagues — it affects your whole life.
I’ve recently realised the importance of taking care of myself in order to be able to take care of everyone else. Guy and I have prioritised our health, getting on the “exercise and eating healthy” bandwagon. Exercising is now something I look forward to and enjoy. I can’t believe how much becoming healthier has changed my life; I honestly can’t recall what I used to get so stressed about.
Getting healthy is a motto that has extended to the whole family. With my son Hudson, five, in school now and Archie, three, in preschool, the morning rush can make it so difficult to throw together a nutritious lunch box.
Of my sons, Archie is the fussier eater. I have learnt to put whatever I want him to eat on the plate anyway, as someone told me that if I kept doing that, one day he’ll start eating them.
Sometimes I hide vegies in their food; I’ll put finely-cut carrots in spaghetti bolognese. I’ve also started making healthy smoothies for myself and Guy, and the kids really like them too. I just add a bit of jelly or honey, and they think it’s the same as an ice-cream.
It’s also a matter of sticking to your guns and saying, “No, you have to finish the food on your plate.” Parents shouldn’t be afraid to get tough with their kids’ food habits. But I’m not going to rob them of eating treats. I do keep it to a minimum though, and use it as a reward.
Don’t forget the “you” in this equation; if they see you eating unhealthily, it’s likely they’ll do the same. Prioritising my health has changed everything about the way I live and, by extension, the way my family lives. We are so much happier.
Jules Sebastian is an ambassador for the H2coco Lunchbox Range; h2coconut.com.
JULES’S ADVICE FOR RAISING HEALTHY EATERS
1. Trial and test: Experiment with foods at home first to see if they will eat it before putting it in the lunch box.
2. Reward system: Give an incentive whenever your kids eat something they wouldn’t normally. A star chart or reward of some sort usually works.
3. Encourage, praise, repeat: Go over the top with adoration and encouragement when they try something new or come home with an empty lunch box.