Joseph Joubert wrote “Children need models rather than critics.” It’s long been one of my favorite quotes. I like it because it’s undoubtedly true. And also because it can be so hard to live up to, so I need the reminder. I bet many of you, like me, find yourselves almost mindlessly chiding, criticizing, correcting your kids much of the time. “Don’t do that…Be careful…Don’t hit your sister…Do your homework…You watch too much TV…Eat your lima beans because children are starving in other parts of the world…”

The dinner table can be a place where we criticize. Typically we eat after a long day and we’re tired. Many of us adults have our own complicated relationships with food and nutrition. And our kids are just learning about food and developing their own tastes. It’s so easy to fall into chiding our kids (the aforementioned “eat your lima beans”) or to criticize the cook (”we’re having casserole again?”). Or, arguably even worse, to be a less-than-perfect role model, eating fast food or junk food all too often because it’s just easier after a long day. I’ve been there. This used to be us.

But I’m happy to say that my wife and I are so lucky now that our daughters (now 7 and 5, but long-time dishers!) have become such good eaters. We have some simple rules– They have to try everything, at least a little bite. They eat what we eat; no special kids’ meals (except on very special occasions!) After that, it’s been all about exposure. With Let’s Dish! for the last 4+ years, we’ve all eaten a steady variety of foods and flavors. The girls eat fish and edamame and broccoli and cous cous and flank steak and all sorts of sauces and spices. No doubt we got a little lucky and they probably had some predisposition to be good eaters. But I believe a lot of it was the fact that we have been able to model the behavior. And make no mistake– we wouldn’t be good role models without Let’s Dish!. We’d fall right back into our rut. (It’s one key reason we started the company with our partners!)

So here’s to being the best role models we can be. Our kids are watching, and food and nutrition are such important things to get right to set them up for healthy and productive lives. I am very proud that Let’s Dish! can make this one aspect of parenting just a little easier. (Now I just have to figure out how Let’s Dish! can help me once my girls start dating….)