I want to be a good example for my kids, you see. I want to teach them good habits that last a lifetime. Good habits with relationships, studying, money and food. I want to try to live the way I want my kids to see me living. But as a mom it’s hard to be “on” all the time.

We just finished building this beautiful new house. But my life is still under construction. I imagine it always will be, because there’s always something I can improve.

I feel confident teaching my children about kindness, compassion, goal-setting and hard work. But there are other areas I want to work on. Areas that, if I’m being honest, I’m not exactly succeeding. All those ambitious goals I had about reading together every single night and extra science lessons on weekends? Yea, that’s not happening. Nevertheless, onward and upward we’ll go. No sense beating myself up about it, I can only try to be a little better every day.

One area I’m working on lately is showing them how to eat better.

My kids don’t eat terribly. Though they aren’t getting the home cooked meals I dreamed I’d be making once I became a wife and mother, they do eat a lot of fruit, and a decent amount of vegetables. But we could be doing better. And lately, we are doing a little better.

The way I’m getting my son to eat vegetables lately is somewhat unconventional. He started competing in track recently and he absolutely loves running. Especially racing people. Well someone (ok, me) happened to tell him that vegetables make us run fast. He asked me to eat some in front of him to prove it and next thing I know I’m sprinting across the house with him.

So far it’s working to get him to try steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Am I genius or what? Lil’ J doesn’t have a problem downing them all without a bribe. And so far Lee Lee likes them too.

Other times I try to get some veggies tucked into their diet within other foods they like. Their favorite chicken strips also contain a serving of veggies. And some Stonyfield’s Kids Yogurt Pouches also have vegetables inside. There’s blueberry apple carrot, and apple cinnamon sweet potato (my kids’ new favorite).

These are two new flavors that’s the same organic brand we love, plus real fruits and veggies. My kids like the taste and I think they’re starting to believe me when I say vegetables taste good too. You can find them at your local grocery store.

It’s an easy snack to grab before running outside, and my son is also putting them to the test to see how they improve his speed (I think he says it’s helping).

These are little wins. But that’s what it’s all about. Taking one win at a time. As parents sometimes there’s pressure for perfection. But you know what they say… Perfect people aren’t real and real people aren’t perfect. We got dis.

Tags: motherhood, parenting, partner, stonyfield