As a dietitian, I have a few hard measures, but the majority of the data I collect and analyze comes from self-report.
I can weigh and measure a child. I can poke their finger to determine what their hemoglobin is. I can observe whether the child is drinking out of a bottle in my office–and sometimes whether they’re drinking water, milk, or juice.
But the majority of my information comes from parents themselves.
Before they come to visit me, they have to fill out a diet questionnaire that attempts to ascertain health and dietary patterns. Once they’re in my office, I interview the parents for additional information.
I rarely have any way of corroborating whether the story the parents are telling me is true or not.
I *do* happen to know that at least some of my client’s parents lie to me though.
Probably the most frequent example of a client lying is when the health interview reads that “no one in the household smokes”–but the diet questionnaire I’m reviewing reeks of smoke so badly I’m having coughing fits in my office trying to prep for the interview.
Then, there are the lies that are evident to anyone who is thinking.
How many hours a day does your child spend actively playing? the questionnaire asks.
“18 hours/day,” a parent replies.
If so, he’s getting far too little sleep, I want to point out.
But my favorite lies of all are the kind that the child contradicts.
Like the time when I had a picture-perfect diet questionnaire in front of me. According to the questionnaire, my client drinks 2 cups of whole milk (great, since he’s one), 4 oz of diluted 100% fruit juice, and several glasses of water in a day.
I asked mom to describe what her son eats in a typical day–and then I probed deeper. “And what does he usually drink?” I asked.
Big brother (age 6) answered, “Mmm…pop, Koolaid, Gatorade, juice…”
Mom was quick to cover, insisting that she only gave her one year old SPRITE, not the BAD kinds of soda with CAFFEINE in them. And Gatorade is only if they’re outside. And…
Yeah.
In other words, you lied.
Liar, liar, pants on FI-AR.
Then there’s the ones you wish had a little shame and would at least try to be embarrassed about SOMETHING. But that’s a WHOLE ‘nother story.
I smiled while I read this, like I always do when you share your WIC stories. :) However, although I COMPLETELY understand the point of what you are expressing, I thought I’d also speak up and say a word on behalf of moms everywhere who are surprised by what comes out of the mouths of their kids. The things our kids tell other people about what goes on in our family? Well, they’re not always entirely accurate. ;-) For example, one of my kids recently brought up how one of the other kids received a…well…certain discipline method five or six times in one day. WHAT??? That has NEVER happened. NEVER. I don’t know where my child got that idea, but it is completely untrue. So, anyway, I hope that the people who hear what my kids say will realize that sometimes they need to take it with a grain of salt. :)
With all that said however, I am not negating the point you were making. :) But I did want to add a different perspective. :)
Point taken, Davene. I get some pretty imaginative answers from kids. I love asking kids when they brush their teeth. They’ll tell me they brush at the table and when they’re at the playground, while they’re sleeping… I also have plenty of times where kids give me “good” answers that their mom’s contradict. When I ask what their favorite food is, more than one kid will look at the posters on my wall and name the first vegetable they recognize-only to have mom inform me that the child has never willingly come close to said vegetable.
Oh my! I can imagine that you’ve seen it all! :)
Thanks for sharing some chuckles along the way! :)