The Saskatchewan Health Authority is hosting a free public information session titled Raising a Healthy Happy Eater on Jan. 16, and any parents interested in the topic are welcome to attend.
The session is entirely free and will take place at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital, at the Katherine Klassen Education Centre from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Moose Jaw’s public health nutritionist Melanie Warken will be co-facilitating the session, to bring together caregivers who have questions and concerns about their child’s eating habits.
“The goal of this session is really to help parents understand what their role is in eating and what the child's role in eating is,” said Warken.
Raising a Healthy Happy Eater will offer tips and strategies for caregivers of young children on how to manage a child’s diet — such as how much children should be eating, what to do with a picky eater, and how to help children be responsible for their eating.
“In the end, what we really want to encourage is for families to have a healthy and happy eating relationship with their children, and that allows children to become what we call a confident eater, over a longer period of time,” said Warken.
For parents and caregivers outside of the city, the free session will also be available through the Health Authority’s Telehealth division at Assiniboia, Central Butte, Rockglen, Craik, and Gravelbourg. Anyone in these rural communities can join the session through a live video link at their local health care facilities.
The Health Authority hosts this particular session approximately four times a year, which Warken feels addresses the current need for information. She also mentioned that concerns over picky eating are the most common referrals that dieticians in the area receive, and so the goal of the session is to connect parents together.
“This is a way to bring a lot of those families together that are struggling [with picky eating] in a group session format,” said Warken. “The opportunity is for parents to come and talk about [their struggles], share their experiences, learn from each other but also we deliver some strategies they can take home.”
Warken also suggested a few other resources for parents who are looking for more information on creating healthy eating habits, including the Ellyn Satter Insititute website or authors Katja Rowell and Jenny McGlothlin’s website.
Those interested in the Jan. 16 session of Raising a Healthy Happy Eater are encouraged to register by calling the Moose Jaw Public Health office at 1 (306) 691-2300.
For those in the rural communities who will need to utilize the Telehealth service, registration is required and must be done at least three days prior to the session.
