Let Them Eat Chocolate

I'm a terrible flyer. I've mentioned that nerves plus motion sickness make me a real peach to sit near on an airplane. 

I was surprisingly good on my last flight, especially compared to the guy a couple rows back. 

He was traveling with his two daughters with no other adult in sight which could explain his loud-talking-borderline-yelling. The minute he took his seat he was pleading/informing his daughters they better behave themselves for the next two hours. 

Right before the flight attendants did their safety speech, our buddy yells out, "how did you get that chocolate in here? You have to eat some almonds before you can have any chocolate, ok?"

It was a you-better-listen-to-me-kind-of-ok. 

During the flight there was more loud talking about who knows what since I was rewinding Sing 2 for the fiftieth time while helping my daughter unwrap her seventh lollipop. 

I felt for this dad. He's doing what diet culture tells him to do which is elevate certain foods and demonize other foods. He's avoiding those "high risk" foods that supposedly lead to bad behavior despite no research backing this claim. It was clear there was no way some m&m's would get between him and two hours of Netflix. 

I felt for his daughter's too. Will they grow up believing that foods are good and bad? Will they internalize the message that they need to eat something "good" before they can eat/deserve something "bad"? Will they learn to deny themselves what their body is truly craving? Will they categorize foods to a point where they just start eliminating foods or food groups all together because they're afraid of what a food could potentially do to their body? 

Next time your kid wants chocolate, let them eat the chocolate. Let them eat the almonds next or not at all. If your kid picks chocolate alone and they're hungry an hour later, you could let them know that they could eat almonds with the chocolate next time if they want to feel like their tummy is full a little longer. Let your kids know that all foods are safe and no food has hierarchy over other foods. All foods have their place at the table. 

I hope I see that guy on the airplane again because I'll offer him our bag of leftover lollipops (we've never hit the bottom of the bag since our kids eventually lose interest once they've had enough) plus our Detla biscuit cookies and let him know that if he can relax around food, he might be able to relax a little more on the flight, too. His kids might even behave a little better, too. 

This guy is one of the many reasons I wrote my book, Raising Anti-Diet Kids. I was that dude in row 8, seat B doing what I thought was best for my kids, but actually causing harm in the process. My final edits are going in this week and the day you can hold this baby in your hot little hands is coming sooner than the FAA will fix their communication system. 

See below how I can help you until my book is ready.....shiny links just waiting for you to click so you can live a happier, more relaxed life. 

PS. Airplane travel also reminds me of how travel is ridiculously unattainable for people in larger bodies. Don't get me started on those bathrooms being unaccessible to a large majority of the population. Please be kind to all travelers. Everyone should have the opportunity to travel if they want to.