As a kid, I relished Saturday mornings. I grew up in a small town in Arkansas—a sleepy place on the weekends where not much was going on except children playing in the yards and everyone getting ready to go to church on Sunday. I would wake up well before my exhausted parents who just wanted to sleep in and not have to rush to get three kids fed, dressed, and out the door. I learned early on that if I let them sleep in I basically had free rein of the house.
I’d thoroughly enjoy my freedom, as long as my pesky, older brother left me alone. With my messy bed hair and a long, scratchy Holly Hobbie nightgown on, I’d perch myself on the end of my family’s awful dark-orange-and-brown floral sofa—the longest one you’ve ever seen in your life. The end of this television-watching throne, where I sat for countless hours immersed in hyperactive cartoons, seemed to be miles away from the actual TV. Keep in mind. Of course, this was before remote controls were bestowed upon the human race. So I had to make the obligatory trip across the shag carpet to the talking box every time I wanted to turn the dial and “channel surf” through the four available stations.
Needless to say, like most kids my age, I didn’t make the healthiest eating decisions when left unattended. I could oftentimes be found snacking on Lays potato chips or Oreo cookies early in the morning. And preparing a proper breakfast was usually out of the question—I couldn’t miss out on my favorite shows. And by proper, I mean pouring a bowl of cereal. My favorite was Frosted Flakes. Yet again, not the most health-conscious option, but more appealing to an 8-year-old than Raisin Bran.
My classic move was tossing one leg up on the back of the sofa while taking in the Road Runner’s latest antics and mindlessly consuming Oreos. I didn’t eat them like a normal kid though. You see, I found early on that there’s an art to dissecting this perfect snack. I wasn’t (and am still not) a fan of the chocolate cookie piece of this creation, preferring the creamy white filling instead. The method to the madness? I would gently twist the two chocolate discs apart and eat the side with the filling. Then, without any thought whatsoever, I’d toss the other piece of the cookie behind the sofa! Weeks later, when my mother found the pile of discarded cookie halves behind the sofa while vacuuming, there were some serious limitations put on what I was allowed to eat on those blissful Saturday mornings. Oreos were no longer an option.
Life is repeating itself it seems, as my own son is starting to do similar things on Saturday mornings. I’ve found him snacking on salty crackers and whatever else he can get his hands on when I’m not looking. All the while, mindlessly watching TV and making a huge mess on the sofa. While there isn’t a bag of Oreos in our pantry for him to pick up, there are plenty of healthy things to eat. I’m teaching Corbin about wholesome foods and how to make better choices. But let’s face it, he’s 8 years old and, like me at that age, he’d usually prefer a cookie over a piece of fruit.
My work in teaching him about nutrition is paying off though. For Christmas, he asked for a cookbook and a skillet. This request, of course, was a parental highlight for me. He’s spent time reading the recipes and has even started frying eggs. He’s also been talking about eating the types of foods that will make him grow faster. Protein is a word that gets tossed around a lot now that he realizes he’s one of the shorter boys in his class!
Beyond our own kitchen, we recently participated in a cooking class in SoHo with Food Network’s own Geoffrey Zakarian. Corbin and I took a lesson in pasta making, which is a perfect match for a kid who loves to put things together! It was like an edible Legos class. We spent several hours cranking out pasta dough and piecing together ravioli. He really got into the process, asking the chef for tips on how to properly seal the two pieces of dough.
Since the class, Corbin has continued to talk about making pasta and learning to cook other dishes. It makes me proud as a parent to watch him take a real interest in healthy food and eating. And while he enjoys a certain amount of ice cream and cookies, he also knows that better alternatives are yogurt and fruit or cheese and crackers.
In giving him a leg up on nutrition at a young age, I hope to lay the groundwork for good habits for the rest of his life. I haven’t found any half-eaten Oreos behind the sofa yet, but I’m also not naive enough to think that a similar situation couldn’t happen on any given Saturday morning. He is a kid after all.
Growing up as the perfect second child in a family of three, DJ Duckworth swore she was never having kids…up until the moment she actually gave birth. She’s been writing and reporting on life since she could form letters and speak to anyone who would listen. DJ has worked as a television journalist, as well as a yoga instructor. This well-traveled Arkansan now lives in Manhattan with her husband, her son, Corbin, and the world’s most amazing wiener dog, Leo!
