HOW TO TALK TO KIDS By Krista DuChene
YOUNG LOVE: Khawla Mesmous and the Ridgemont Highschool Cross Country team.
iRun because it gives me a chance to listen to the latest records from my favourite bands. — Steve Flood, Vaughan, ON
Leah, my three-year-old daughter, says, “Mom, you shouldn’t eat all of that because if you do you might get fat.” I respond with a quick, honest reply: “I’m active and eat healthy food so I’m not worried about that.” Now that she’s six (and the boys are nine and eleven), I’ve influenced our children about their bodies. Leah knows I plucked gray hairs before the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and insists that I dye my hair if I make the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. But if I make it to another Olympics, she’ll know it has nothing to do with my hair. I eat so that my body will be at its best when it matters most. My kids know I avoid sweets leading up to a marathon and enjoy them when my season is over. I let my kids know that eating has to do with fuel, recovery, and performance—and that matters more than anything else.
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