Ok....you know you got a problem. You are overweight, your wife is overweight, and your kids are on the fast track to have the same problem. You can change yourself, but those in your family are individuals. They can make their own choices on what they do with their bodies. The question is how do you work with your family to get them out of this same rut?
Changing Habits
Last time I wrote in this series, I discussed changing habits. Every Sunday, my family sits down for about 30 minutes and have a council. We start off by reviewing the goal sheet from last week and put check marks when we completed something. My current weekly goals are 5 days morning exercise, 7 days personal scripture study, 1 journal entry, and to cut off all non-social junk food. Everyone else has their goals. My youngest is to use the toilet successfully every time (been working on that for awhile now). We then discuss anything coming up in the near future, resolve complaints or concerns, then set new goals for the coming week. We then end with a treat of some sort. The goal setting seems to help develop habits, and it provides a venue to encourage good behavior with others.Shopping
What goes into your house eventually goes into their bellies. As such, help out with the food shopping whenever possible. Make comments on food she purchases. Encourage her to get the more basic ingredients, rather than the easily prepared foods. If you have chips and soda available at all times, it will be what your family eats. Get away from mayonnaise and use mustard instead.Cooking
Help out with the cooking. If your wife is using lots of cheese and sour cream, say something. Be an example and compliment her on the less fattening foods. Even if it tastes good, show some disgust on foods you know are not good for you. Learn your spices and cooking techniques. Someone who knows how to flavor and cook food well can make healthy dishes much more appetizing. Help out enough (or get the kids to) that she does not feel like she has to throw together a quick meal every time. (Quicker meals are usually more fattening.)Activity
Limit the use of electronics. If you have a yard, use it. Having a garden may seem lame, but just the fact that your wife and kids have to go outside daily to tend it will give them opportunity to run around more. Have toys such as skates, balls, sticks, and the like. Sedentary toys like electronics, games, and GI Joe action figures may be available, but harp on them to clean up regularly. Set an example by being active yourself. They love going with you on adventures, swimming, walking, rock climbing, or whatever.Two income households
Have you ever noticed that the kids of single mothers are usually fat? That stems from her not having the time to cook, so she buys junk food and the kids snack on it throughout the day. This happens to a lesser extent in two income households. Stopping at a restaurant is easier with more money, but less time. Have a traditional family with a dinner table and limit food to cooked meals.
Teaching Your Kids
Teach your kids to respect their bodies. You may have scriptural lessons, health lessons from textbooks, or just mention to them things about physical health as occasions arise. Doing so will help them, but it will reinforce things you and your wife learned when you were younger.Conclusion
You cannot change other people, but you can influence them. Do what you can as leader of the home to keep your wife attractive, and give your kids more dating opportunities as they become young adults.Throughout my life, I have noticed that different families tend to all have a similar shape to them. While they do share the same genetic material, they also live with similar circumstances.
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