Teaching kids healthy eating is not a lecture, it is a parental practice through which children observe and learn. Further, although kids may whine and squirm and even outright reject what’s on the plate, parents must come to realize that being held hostage by childish control strategies only improperly empowers children and thus creates greater feeding difficulties in the long run.
It is the parents who are in control of what food comes into the house, how it is prepared and how it is served. Meal design, food purchases, preparation and service thus become the real feeding grounds for developing healthy eating by our kids as managed by parents.
Nov 29, 1999
Question:
My daughter, who is 17, wishes to spend time with me on days that are not specified in our parenting plan. My spouse is inflexible about parenting time. Does she have any rights or recourse at her age to vary her parenting time? So far her requests have not been at times inconvenient to my spouse or when they have other plans.
Answer:
I am not licensed in Oregon. However, generally a sixteen year old can decide where they will spend their time with each parent. This assumes the child is in good physical and mental health and there are no major problems with the non-custodial parent. You may need to file a Motion to Modify the visitation schedule. Once your ex-spouse speaks with an attorney on the issue she will likely be advised to not fight the issue. If the matter would go to court, most judges I know would have a very sour word for your spouse concerning her refusal to allow a 17 year old child additional time with her parent.
