Advice from Mom
By Rita Lessard
Shut your mouth and eat your supper!
How often have you heard that said, and when you stop to think about it, can you really do that? What the heck were our mothers thinking?
I remember my father saying, “If you put the food on your plate, you have to eat it.” My brother Bob hated peas, but nevertheless he would always put them on his plate and he couldn’t leave the table until he ate them. That wasn’t too smart. I, on the other hand, didn’t normally take something I didn’t want to eat, but if I did, I was smart enough to make sure I had a ready pocket to hide what I didn’t want. (It’s a good thing I liked creamed corn.) We couldn’t afford a dog, so we always envied the skinny kids with their fat dogs.
Sometimes my mother would confuse me, for instance whenever I wouldn’t eat my dinner, she would say, “Eat your dinner. Do you realize that the poor starving kids in China would give their right arm to have that meal.” If I couldn’t eat my mother’s cooking, why would I subject the poor kids in China to eating it? They’ve suffered enough; why would I add to their plight?
I know I’ve heard other mothers saying this, too. I say stop it, send some money to the mission and leave us out of this eating business. Most mothers worry too much when it comes to their kids’ eating habits, but believe me, kids will eat when they’re hungry.
Many foods we consume are very good for us, and others not so. Do you notice that the rich sugary foods we so love are said to be fattening and not so good? On the other hand, fruits and vegetables are very good to eat. Working at Tim Horton’s, I’m often tempted to indulge in the sugary paradise. For about the last seven years, I have always brought my own break food, which basically consists of fruits, veggies and granola. These foods keep me alert and full of energy so I can stay on my feet.
Some people suffer health problems because of what they eat. A common complaint is heartburn. My son’s mother-in-law suffered with this ailment for several years until someone suggested she take the root of ginger, soak it in hot water, let it steep for 10 minutes, and then drink it. Apparently this works; it certainly would beat taking drugs all the time. That’s all for this week, folks!