Gems (fwd)

[Laura Larsson]

Apologies if this is a duplicate message from a (possible) non subscriber.

Regards,

Laura
larsson at u.washington.edu
listowner: PHNUTR-L, PHNURSES, PNWHEALTH, HSR-L +
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~hserv/hshome.html
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Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 17:04:02 -0500
To: phnutr-l at u.washington.edu
From: Julianne.Seiber at bruno.stpaul.gov (Julianne Seiber)
Subject: RE:  Gems

Jenna and all,

I do numerous talks to parents of preschoolers each year (50+ last year) as
a part of our school systems' programs called Early Childhood Family
Education.  I always use the "division of responsibility" principle as a
part of the discussion and have found the "educated" parents the most
responsive to it.  They are the ones that have given thought to their role
as a parent.

I talk first about what we eat being culturally based and our job as a
parent is to teach our children to eat what is culturally appropriate in
our family.  After discussing the "kid's pyramid" a little and how they
grow and the fact that they need to eat about 5 times a day, I get to the
division of responsibility.  I talk about the clean plate club many of us
were raised in and how that taught us to ignore our body's satiety signals.
On that basis people seem to be able to comprehend the wisdom of the
"Satter system."  I encourage them to start each meal with very small
servings for small children (and use food models to show 1 oz., 2 Tb.,
etc.) and give them more if they ask for it.  That seems to help with the
frugal parents.

The people who seem to have a problem with this concept are the people who
are living at the survival or subsistence level.  I talk with them about
how it would feel to be forced to eat when you are not hungry.

Julie


>Linda,

>

>Just a quick comment: Surely Satter's "division of responsibility"

>principle, which is based on Dr. Clara Davis' groundbreaking work with

>children in the 1920s and 1930s, is fundamentally sound.

>

>But don't you think, in her second book at least (How to get...) that

>Satter "tells people what to do" too much?  I guess some people don't mind

>that kind of authority approach, but in my experience, its kind of a turn

>off for other (often educated)  parents.  I recall one heading from the

>book: "Teach them to eat what's in the world."  Kind of funny, but she is

>very well-intentioned, and very knowledgeable, I'm sure.

>

>Best wishes,

>j.


Julianne Seiber, MS, RD, LN
Nutrition Program Supervisor
St. Paul - Ramsey County Department of Public Health
1954 University Ave., Room 12
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone:  612-292-7071, FAX:   612-292-7589
e-mail:  Julianne.Seiber at stpaul.gov