Should you force your teenager to eat meat?

On Sunday we were invited for a BBQ with Ben's family. We were sitting in the garden and having fun with the water hose until food was served and drama took its course.

Ben's oldest niece didn't want to eat any of the grilled meat, while her step-dad insisted she had some. With her being almost 13 years old and her step-dad only wanting her to get the nutrients she needs, you can imagine it all ended in a big discussion, tears and a teenager refusing to eat anything at all. 

Well, this whole situation got me thinking about whether as a parent you should force your teenager to eat meat or let them decide themselves, knowing that they might miss out on iron and other nutrients important for their development. I could sympathize with both sides. As a teenager you go through phases of wanting to try different things. I remember that a lot of my friends at school went through a meat-free time. Some because they suddenly didn't like meat anymore, others because they didn't agree with animals getting killed just for us to have something on our plates and some just because they wanted to test themselves. I didn't belong to any of these groups. I have always liked my meat and knew that I couldn't live without certain meats such as chicken or my beloved sausages so I didn't even try it - I hate failing! 

Anyway, one of my friends went vegetarian for a couple of months and got serious problems with her bones due to an insufficiency of a specific nutrient that you can find in meat. She was weak, tired and all the supplements her GP prescribed didn't help. She had to go back to eating meat just to feel healthy again. 

As a parent you have heard about these things and do of course worry that, if your child decides to become vegetarian, their health might suffer. Their body is still developing after all. So what do you do? Would you force your child/teenager to eat meat or would you let them go ahead although you might know that their health could be in danger?

How to protect your family in the sun

Supposedly we are in for a long and hot summer with lots of sunshine. So let's be optimistic and hope for sunny days at the beach, picnics in the park and many barbeques with the whole family. But let's also be careful and make sure that we protect us and our children from the damaging effects of the sun.

To give you the information you need to protect your family, Mummy Alarm has teamed up with Clare Kerr, sun care expert from Lloydspharmacy who is sharing her top tips with you:

• Children and babies need extra protection because their skin is more delicate, especially if they have red hair, pale eyes or freckles. It’s best to use a water resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 to 50, and keep babies under six months out of direct sunlight completely.
• Even if you are in shade you can still get burned, some rays do get through so sitting in the shade is not an excuse to not wear sunscreen. 
• The sun’s rays can still burn you when it’s overcast. The sun may not have his hat on, but you and especially your little ones should! 
• In the UK, when applied correctly, sunscreens with an SPF of 15 and above can provide adequate protection against sunburn, skin damage, premature ageing, wrinkling and skin cancers. As basic rule, those travelling abroad should use at least SPF30.

•  Research shows that many people do not use enough sunscreen to provide adequate protection. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen  about half an hour before going out in the sun so that it has time to absorb into your skin and dry. 
• When applying sunscreen, pay particular attention to the skin near to the edges of clothing, such as straps and necklines, as these areas can easily be missed. 
• Reapply sunscreen regularly (at least every two to three hours) as it can rub off on towels, sand or after going in the water. Even water-resistant sunscreens should be reapplied after you come out of the water as it can be rubbed off when drying yourself with a towel. Try setting a reminder on your phone! 
• Use a stick application with a high SPF for exposed areas, such as your nose, ears and lips because these areas tend to burn more easily. 
• Always use after sun to put moisture back into your skin after you’ve been in the sun. It’ll keep you looking young! 

Over the next couple of weeks, Mummy Alarm will run a series of features and product reviews to help you make sure you'll get through the summer safely. So pop round regularly to see how you can protect yourself and your family without missing out on fun time in the sun.