So What is a "Good" Eater?

Since I claim that my blog can help you teach your kids to be good eaters, I figured I should start by defining what I mean when I say "good" eater. 

It started with my daughter... my mom said to me, "She's a really good eater."  Honestly, until that point, I hadn't thought much about it.  That was over five years ago, and now, two more kids later, I am often told that all of my kids are good eaters.  So here is my attempt to define what that means:

1.  Good Eaters eat (and enjoy) vegetables, fish, whole grains, beans, spices and many foods that are
not typically considered kid friendly.
2.  Good Eaters enjoy food and have a positive attitude at mealtime.
3.  Good Eaters can and will find something to eat at any restaurant.
4.  Good Eaters will eat the food that is served to them when they are a guest in someone's house.
5.  Good Eaters are willing to try new foods.
6.  Good Eaters understand that eating food is enjoyable and that eating good food is good for them.
7.  Good Eaters make good choices about what to eat and recognize how eating certain foods makes them feel (good or bad.)
8.  Good Eaters do not have diets that are limited to "kid food."

Parents of Good Eaters:
1.  Can cook just about any recipe without worrying about whether or not their kids will eat it.
2.  Are not perfect and do not expect their kids to be perfect.
3.  Recognize that learning to eat well is like any other learning process- it IS a PROCESS!

In my blog posts, I will attempt to teach and not preach.  I am not here to judge what or how you feed your family.  I simply hope that I can share some of what I have learned along the way.  All too often parents have said to me things like, "Wow, I wish I could get my kids to eat (vegetables, fish, etc.)"  Once a friend said, "Can I send my daughter to your house for a week to learn how to eat?"  I never know how to respond to these statements.  I feel bad because I want to help, but I don't want to sound like a know it all and I kind of feel like giving another parent any kind of parenting advice is kind of like my husband giving me driving advice!  I figure in this blog, I can give advice to those who want it, and learn from others as well, because I am still, and will always be learning!