Articles
Junk For The Kids?
Posted: 04.07.07 by to HP/HP
“I won’t eat that junk. I was talking about for the kids.” A good friend wrote this statement in black and white as we were planning a mini-reunion with old college friends. The correspondence was focused on the food for a late-morning Sunday gathering. There was an offer on the table to bring McDonalds when I stepped up and said, “Nope to the McDonalds” and offered to bring a bunch of fruit with cut-up cheese, turkey and crackers. Then followed the statement, “I won’t eat that junk. I was talking about for the kids.”
I anticipate and celebrate the day I will see in black and white, “I won’t eat that junk and neither will my kids. Let us eat fruit!” But behavior change is somewhat of a phenomenon. Human behavior is complex and unfortunately there is no simple or concrete prescription to changing behavior. Why else would there be study after study, theory after theory, and model after model? But, we do have good ideas and proven practices. We work to address the multiple components that will ultimately impact the whole. We are making progress, but it takes time and commitment to change. I challenge each of us to make the commitment.
It takes the effort of everyone to truly make change happen. It takes changing policies to help provide better opportunities for entire communities. It takes changing attitudes to help movement happen. And, it takes changing individual habits to help promote better living. (By the way, on that Sunday, there were no golden arches to be found, but we ate a lot of fruit!)
I understand that perfection in our attitudes and choices is impossible, but we can do better. We can put a little more energy into ourselves, our children and our world. Again, I challenge each of us to start with the individual and make the commitment.