March 10th, 2008 
Von 
Breakfast is important. We all know that. But we tend to forget how important it really is. This daily event is often taken for granted because life is so fast-paced nowadays, even for our children. It just seems that we are always chasing time. But no matter how hectic everything gets in our family, I always make sure that we all have time for breakfast.
We have a routine at home where we wake up the children early enough to have time for a hearty breakfast, which we eat together as a family. It gives me and my husband time to bond with our children before they start their day. I make sure my family does not miss breakfast simply because how you start your day affects how you end it. As a parent, I believe I have the responsibility to ensure my children start their day right.
There are so many breakfast options available these days like fruits, cereals, traditional Filipino breakfast, noodles, and all kinds of meat treats like corned beef, luncheon meat, etc. But sad to say, not all of them are healthy. I notice that children naturally gravitate to foods that are tasty but are often harmful for them. As parents, we should offer a variety of healthy options and not be limited to serving what our children prefer. In our home, we regularly ask our children for feedback about their food preferences and offer them suggestions on how to make their meals healthy. We also have a rule that all must follow and that is to taste, at least once, food they’ve never eaten before. That way, they may have basis for why they like or don’t like a certain food. We also expose our children to a variety of food options for breakfast so that their idea of breakfast is wide-ranging. We regularly invite them to eat with us at buffet breakfasts in hotels and spend a lot of time discussing what they like to include in our menu at home. We also encourage them to get only what they can finish.
Ensuring my children start the day right is not just about seeing them eat a lot for breakfast, though it is always nice. It is about seeing them eat right. For me, having a healthy breakfast is all about choosing foods rich in energy and nutrients like those made from whole grain such as cereals, and foods rich in fiber such as fruits and vegetables.
A healthy breakfast does wonders. My kids are healthier. They’re more energetic during the day because they start their day right so they have the energy to concentrate in class and focus on their lessons.
After my children experienced the consequences of not eating enough breakfast, such as headaches, fatigue and crankiness as a result of choosing to stay in bed too long, they vowed to get up earlier to enjoy their first meal of the day. They already know that we won’t allow breakfast to be eaten in the car, so the key is to wake up early. Since it is not easy sometimes to make sure the children eat healthy and their taste preferences usually lean towards the not-so-healthy foods, we have certain methods at home to make sure our children eat right:
• We lead by example. We make sure we eat breakfast with our children and use the time to have meaningful conversations with them by setting aside the morning paper or the TV set.
• We encourage them to try new foods. We wake them up early enough to have ample time to eat comfortably so we do not have to rush them through their meal just to get to class on time.
• We offer a variety of choices and allow them to come up with alternatives for breakfast. We also give them cereals which they love, which is the easiest way to make sure that those we offer are rich in whole grain and energy.
When it comes to sowing the seeds of a healthy child, I’d have to say that the first step is the first meal of the day: breakfast with whole grain and a variety of foods that include fruits and veggies that are presented well and eaten with delight.
Source: Philippine Star
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Health%20And%20Family&p=49&type=2&sec=41&aid=20080303183; photo courtesy of www.rendezvoushotels.com
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