Are Your Children Thankful?
How important is it for our children to eat their food without grumbling or complaining?
Should I force my child to eat food I know is good for him?
These are questions mother's with young children face daily. Oh mothers, God has the answers for us!
It is very important for children to understand that grumbling and complaining about food is wrong and against *God Himself ! Our children should learn this concept while they are very young. The example we set for our children is the most powerful way we can teach them.
Are we showing a thankful attitude for food we are about to eat? We must be very careful to do so! If we teach our children that all our food comes from God, talk about how He created each thing, where the food came from, how it grew, etc... than we can impress them with the Sovereignty of God, the Creator of all. By explaining the divine and wonderful way of nature and how He designed the food to grow, we can instill into young minds the wonder and greatness of our God.
For an example, when peeling an orange I would say, "Oh look children how God made such a pretty color and preserved this orange in a neat little package, without it the orange would shrivel up to a dry ball. Look at those individual slices God made for us, and it's very juicy so He put a nice skin around each piece. Oh it tastes so sweet and good, it's full of vitamins that are good for you too. Isn't our God so kind and thoughtful to do that for us? Oh and God made the orange you are about to eat just for you alone! Let's thank Him, shall we?" This brings the reality of God into young minds, they see, feel and taste something they understand is from God, and they can thank Him with understanding. Lessons like this can be repeated, children love repetition and learn best through repetition.
During a meal is a great time to talk about how kind God is. Mothers, we have a grave responsibility before a Holy God to train our dear children to appreciate what He gives us. We must show gratitude to Him for all the food we have. If we complain about food, so will our children, example is incredibly important here. Be sober about this job, and also find joy as blessings are poured down from heaven as we obey God in training our children for Him. Mothers rule in the kitchen, so-to-speak, we build the home as we submit to God and our husband, much of our attitude about food is reflected from us to our family.
Once we have impressed our children in a positive way about food and the Creator of it all, we can take the next step of expecting our children to eat what is set before them. If a child from the time they begin to eat table food is expected to eat what is given him, then there is no conflict at the dinner table. Mothers, please pray for God to give you wisdom how to teach them this... some will not let their small child eat until the next meal, others will refuse them treats until they eat it. There are creative ways to get the message across to them. Each child is so different and what works for one might not work for another. God will show you how and what to do for your own small child. The point is, do teach them, it's good training. There is no need to force a child to eat what is good for them, if they are given only food that is good for them, that is what they will eat.
Grumbling should never be tolerated at the dinner table. For older children that have not learned this, it's time to start teaching them now! Don't wait! If we have failed in this area and confess this to God, He will forgive. Go forward in this battle of attitude about food, and ask God to guide you to teach your children to be thankful.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain....And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8)
*"And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God." ...(Exodus 16:2-12)
We as mothers need to understand how food affects our children. It's easy to give food that tastes good to our children and expect them to eat it, but what are the ingredients in that food?
Our health has allot to do with what we eat. Our children are very affected by the wrong kinds of foods. We need to be careful to give them foods which will cause an appetite for what is natural and good for them. Our tastes buds can be "trained" to like or dislike certain kinds of foods. Train up a child in the way he should go in his good food habits as well! "Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6)
I hope you will take some time to look at these sites that explain why High Fructose Corn Syrup is something we should AVOID in our diets. It might surprise you to learn about the mercury in it, and how obesity began in the U.S. after the food industry began to use it.
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/111801/sugar_is_the_new_heroin/
Please take some time to learn about Hydrogenated oils and how they effect the body:
Please take some time to learn about Hydrogenated oils and how they effect the body:
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-WHOLE-story-of-partially-hydrogenated-oils---manufacture--reason-for-inclusion-in-foods--effects-on-body--and
We as Mothers are responsible to God for what we feed our families. We must live soberly and carefully, with foods that will be healthy for them. The diet we feed our children will have consequences, good or bad, for their entire lives.
We as Mothers are responsible to God for what we feed our families. We must live soberly and carefully, with foods that will be healthy for them. The diet we feed our children will have consequences, good or bad, for their entire lives.
