The Quick and Easy Way I Helped My Kid Cut Dairy
Here is the story of why and how I removed dairy products from my now 7-year-old son’s diet, and one great suggestion on how to make healthy substitutions work in your life and in the lives of your favorite peeps.
My son’s name is Riley, but this story starts with me … no shock there!
In 2007, I removed all dairy products from my personal food intake. Prior to this action, I drank a little milk here and there, and I loved cheese. Abstaining from dairy food was part of my clean eating journey following my cancer diagnosis – not that someone told me to remove it, but as I gravitated towards vegetarianism and then veganism, it naturally went by the wayside.
To my surprise, my chronic sinus and allergy issues also went by the wayside. At first, I wasn’t sure why this phenomenon occurred. Before this, I was on over-the-counter medications and prescription medications daily, and suffered excruciating headaches several days a week. Every week. And it was worse in allergy season. I had also noticed over his short life, that my then 4-year-old son had seasonal allergy issues that mirrored mine. Great.
So, no dairy for me. Time moves on and I start realizing: Hey, no more headaches (I was a bit preoccupied with life and other health issues, so it was not an immediate ah-ha moment). No more sinus issues. Wow. In 2009, I started thinking, hmmm, Riley continues to have seasonal issues with allergies and sinuses, and what he still calls, “head-ecks.” So after much thought on the issue, I declared no more milk for Riley.
Big step.
Like a good mommy, I knew there needed to be a substitute for Riley, so I started making almond milk. In Riley’s mind, not a good thing. In fact, he cried, he whined, he hated it. He would eventually drink it due to the threats of no cartoons. Honestly, he didn’t mind it so much, but he would cry to me with the most scrunched up and whining face saying, “but this isn’t milk, Mommy.”
He was right. It wasn’t milk.
In his short life, he had known breast milk and he had known cow’s milk. Almond milk was by no comparison milk. Now, I make beautifully aromatic and sweet almond milk. But it was in no way milk in his world. How could I be so shortsighted?
Time for a strategy change. Quick mommy, think fast on your feet! And you know what, I did just that.
So I sat down and got eye level with my son, and said, “You know what, Riley, you are absolutely right. This isn’t milk, and I am so sorry for calling it that. Milk comes from mammals, and this sweet drink is made from almonds, so how in the world could it be milk?” He looked at me with big eyes almost doubting my blunt honesty.
I continued, “What would you like to call this drink? It is so white, kind of like snow, don’t you think? And it is not like milk at all, it is more like water, isn’t it?”
He nodded.
“What do you think we should call it then? Snow milk, snow water? How about snowflake water?” I asked with enthusiasm. His eyes lit up, and he smiled. “Yes, I like that, Mommy. It is kinda like water.”
And so it was.
It was amazing that just renaming the drink and not trying to pass it off as an exact substitute totally changed my son’s acceptance of the new drink. It was no longer a negative thing. He was also very pleased to be part of the renaming. It was as if it gave him some ownership.
Consider giving this exercise a try with yourself and with your loved ones who are rejecting some of your lifestyle changes. Don’t try to pass everything off as a one-for-one substitute. Make up new, fun names for foods, drinks or even routines so it is not viewed as a negative in anyone’s mind. Be honest, but simply change the focus!
Christmas Eve came shortly after our renaming powwow and Riley proudly put out some sweet snowflake water for Santa along with some other vegan (raw) goodies. The snowflake water was all gone the next morning – yum! Santa and his reindeer will be happy to know that they will be getting more of that tasty goodness this year too.
Ho-ho-ho!
Tina Pruitt is a healthy living expert and speaker, an International Raw and Living Foods Coach, and a two-time breast cancer survivor. She is living and sharing her passion through her soon-to-launch online healthy living coaching business.
Photo Credit: idovermani
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31 Comments
Really great how simple it can be to improve kids diets. It’s all about making it fun.
Thank you for sharing. I have two young children who are vegetarian but do drink cow juice through out the day. Something I am not comfortable with anymore and I am about to change. I am glad that I read this first, I am sure that it will make the transition for all of us easier. I plan to be honest and explain that milk is for babies and that when you get to a certain age your body can’t process milk as well. I think that they will get it.
If I make them hot chocolate or milkshakes then I veganize it with a dairy free ‘milk’ and agave and they’ve never turn it down : )
When I removed dairy from my diet to treat digestive disease, my husband’s life long asthma all but disappeared. Now he rarely needs an inhaler, unless he is around a cat or maybe if he is sick. He never uses the steroids he grew up on. and my seasonal allergies and headaches disappeared too. Thanks for sharing your story, hopefully it will inspire others to try taking a break from dairy and see how they benefit!
Great story Tina! Love the twist on the naming process!
Jeanne, Dimond, Claire, Michelle, and Casey,
Thanks for the positive comments and for sharing your stories too! I love it when I hear how lives improve when we remove some of the foods that aren’t really “good” for us! AND, I am so glad I could offer a tip on how to move forward with “replacing” a food/drink.
Many thanks and happy holidays!
live big, love, big, eat green stuff,
Tina
Oh yea, and feel free to stay in touch!
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This is a great post, Tina! Your story is inspiring…I have little ones who sometimes question my “snowflake” water, but they feel so much better being dairy-free. Thanks for this great story!
Lovely story! Interested in an almond milk recipe now :)
I love how brilliant children can be. As adults, we become attached to things. Especially out diets. So much so that when we see a negative side effect, we want a replacement vs an alternative choice. How wise your son–and you–are to recognize this and call a spade a spade. Honesty is so refreshing…and freeing!!!!!!
Made me stop and think here – WE have been on an alkaline diet for about 3 1/2 months now and I have finally noticed that those excruciating headaches haven’t plagued me – almost non-existent – though like Tina, I hadn’t noticed it at first – it was a gradual thing – we have absolutely no dairy and it wasn’t hard to cut out – though we were both cheese lovers – I am a cancer survivor and have been following others – but Tina – this just goes to show that what we think is happening (with consuming certain types of foods) that indeed many of our issues stem from that!
Thanks for the story Tina, I am slowly introducing healthy alternatives to the kiddies and this is surely one point taken, no lying or pretending about what’s in the glass or plate…just plain say it like it is. :)
Kids always make it difficult to change things. They know what they like, and they know what they don’t like. I still love the taste of milk and cheese and ice-cream and yogurt. My body doesn’t though, so it has to make tough decisions! I’ve never been fond of passing off something as something else. It’s as if it’s a reminder of what I can’t have, instead of being the abundance of the foods that I can have! And now, with your inspiration, I shall go make some snow-nog! Santa loves every offering…after all, he’s not a 7 year old boy!
I love it Tina! Great story and perfect way to make it fun and easy. When it comes to influencing people’s diet changes I’m finding more and more that you have to make it sound fun and easy or people will hold on to their old habits with fierce determination! Good job on getting your son to eat healthier and actually enjoy it!
Tina, great! It’s great that Riley is ok not consuming dairy, but I think this story is really about empowerment…both good things! Congrats.
Lisa, Alison, Judy, Pat, Elle, Liz, and Michalene ~
Thanks all for the awesome comments – LOVE IT!
M…you are absolutely right, it is about empowerment.
xo, Tina
I needed this! My nine year old daughter LOVES cheese (not a milk drinker) I’m a vegan mom who cleared up all of her digestive and sinus issues when I went dairy free a few years ago. My poor daughter has terrible sinus headaches, has to neti daily, gets allergy attacks and it has been hard for me to just not serve dairy to her. She’s vegetarian but not vegan…yet! Today, when getting out the door to winter camp, she (in sinus misery) said, “If you know milk makes me sick, why do you pack me cheese in my lunch?” Heartbreaking. Done. I needed this piece! Thanks!
This is great.. I think it’s so important to let kids have a voice … what a wonderful tool for everyone, not only kids!
What an inspiring story Tina!
It’s great that Riley has a heads up on health and nutrition at such a young age. Really awesome!
Dairy causes so much junk in our body and yet every pediatrician ask in every check up if the kid drinks at least 3 glasses of milk a day. If only they would be more open..
Are you making vegan mac & cheese for him? Were you able to find good vegan cheeses that are kids friendly?
Thanks for sharing!
Miri
Tina, what a perfect solution! Words and naming have such power. It’s kind of amazing how important it is to choose the right language. As I often say to people, “There’s nothing wrong with carob, as long as you’re not expecting chocolate. It’s the comparison that gets us into trouble.” Changing the name removes the comparison. Brilliant!
Love this story. You are a trooper lady and took the steps to find out for yourself. Love how you found fun in the milk thing. Passing the baton of wellness rocks! Great post.
Tina!!!!!!!! I love you momma. You did a great job with your son. It is so hard to overcome the peer group habits of junk grub.
xoxo
deb
RC, Melo, Miri, Leela, HIllary, and Deb –
You all are too sweet! Love you and hugs to each for your love and support…Have a great end of year and look for more to come in 2011.
xo,
Tina
I had a similar experience in making and seeing changes in myself and then applying the same great changes to my daughter who was having similar health issues I’d delt with my entire life. It took some experimenting to find a drink that suited her taste and also some time for her tastes to change as we moved away from dairy to substitutes. I’m happy she has cereal (something she gave up when I took away cows milk) with almond milk, coconut icecream instead of dairy, and can dip cookies in almond milk without complaint. Don’t try to slip her any rice milk though! Milk makes a difference in our health, one that I can do without!
Great story Lauren! Thanks for sharing!
Great article Tina! Perfect timing as I phase out dairy from my own life :-)
Yay Rachel! You are such an inspiration girlfriend!
xo, Tina
kids are the smartest, really. i love almond snowflake water!
Yay Bitt!
My daughters love rice milk, almond milk not so much. I cannot drink either one of them, but then neither the cow milk. Milk is not my think. I should try your idea of renaming it. It could become more appealing to me. Many thanks.
Love your story Tina! I have one child (5) who is a regular rice milk, almond milk drinker, my older one drinks goat’s milk – he is not too attached to that, but when it comes to cheese, he seems to be addicted. And we have cheese in the house because it comes in with my husband… Any thoughts on that? When I make cashew “cheese” he loves that too.
20 years ago soy was much more popular as a milk alternative, and i introduced my son to “soy beverage” one day. The next morning he asked for “bridge” not milk. you know mommie, SOOOOY bridge. I finally figured out what he meant!
Tina,
I love this story – so sweet! BTW – my son loves almond milk too – wish I had been so creative with making the switch!
Hugs,
Jeanné
December 23, 2010