1) It is your job to give your kids healthy options, it's their job to decide what to eat
Our pediatrician taught me this on our 1 year visit. Our daughter wasn't eating meat very much but was eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. We were concerned that she was not getting the much needed protein a little body needs at that age. His response was calming: put healthy things on her plate and then let her decide what she wants to eat. We did this and had wonderful results. She began eating things that we never thought she'd have interest in (including fish) when we just left her to decide. As for the protein, we learned the kids get protein not just from meats, but from other items like veggies and yogurt as well.
2) You will always lose a battle of wills with a toddler...
This is true in several situations; not the least of which is dinner time. The bottom line is not to put pressure on your kid to eat certain things. As I said above, they will eat what they want of the stuff that is put in front of them. Like in many situations, if you turn it into a point of contention, they will strive to convince you that they can control things too (although uncomfortably at times). Our daughter has always eaten her best when she is left to decide for herself what she will eat from her plate and when to eat it. If you can do this (yes, it is hard since we do know best), you will have a little negotiating power for them to eat other things they may not necessarily want to eat. Think of: "okay, if you eat another bite of chicken, I'll give you more apple". Maybe some will say you shouldn't do that, but I always say 90% of parenting is just doing what works for you and your child.
3) Their stomachs are smaller than ours
Think back to when you first brought your child home from the hospital. Remember what the nurses and doctor told you about breast/bottle feeding? They only need a little bit and let them drink until they determine they are full. The same is true as they get older. While yes, their stomachs get bigger, they still are small tummies and we need to be understanding that they get full faster and don't have as much room for food as we do. I've been guilty of loading my daughter up with broccoli only to be surprised when she doesn't want anything else during the meal. So make sure you are giving them the right portion sizes. This also goes a long way toward teaching them healthy eating habits not to mention it eliminates them being overwhelmed by the big plate of food in front of them.
4) Teach a kid to cook and you will feed them for a lifetime
I think I heard something like this before... I realize that you cannot have your 2 year old scramble eggs or start up the grill for you. But that doesn't mean that they cannot help you. Believe it or not, all kids really want is to spend time with you. I started off by letting my daughter help me snap the green beans in half. Now she helps mommy bake cupcakes and helps me pour the corn bread batter into the pan. It may seem small, but I assure you that children love to help their parents cook. Not only does it continue to help their healthy eating habits, it goes a long way towards boosting their sense of self worth. And after all, that is what a lot of parenting is about, right?
5) Cook things they will like too
This may sound obvious, but there are a lot of parents out there who struggle by always trying to get their kids to eat certain foods that the kids don't like. This is okay (I'll cover letting them try new things next) but, cooking and eating is a journey for them too. Try to incorporate things that kids will like as well. You might find new ways of serving things they wouldn't typically like. For instance: my daughter didn't like zucchini. So I found a recipe for zucchini fritters. Now she requests them and they are nutritious as well as delicious for her. Another example is grilled chicken. She doesn't like it at all. But if I put it in a quesedilla, she'll eat it up no problem. Often times we need to take a step back as parents who are frustrated that our kids aren't eating our food and think of ways in which our kids will LIKE our food.
6) They WILL try new things
Believe it or not, children do like to eat new things sometimes. And regardless of whether they like it or not, it is important to continue to let them try new things so they can figure out what they like and don't like on their own. Remember, at one time or another, EVERYTHING was a new thing to your child. Just because he/she may not like broccoli today, doesn't mean they won't like it tomorrow. My best advice is to keep serving it periodically. They WILL surprise you one day by trying it and perhaps even liking it. Limiting yourself and your child to only things you know they will eat not only limits the child, but can also become frustrating for you as well.
7) Give them choices, but not too many choices
Whether you are out at a restaurant or in for a Saturday lunch at home, it is important to give your child choices. When you give your child choices, you are doing a couple of things. First, you are letting them know that you value their opinion which is important in a child's development. Secondly you are aiding their ability to make decisions on their own and exude some control over their day to day life (which is in fact a frustration that many children have --- lack of control). But beware, most children will shut down or become confused if given too many choices. Especially when it comes to food. Our rule of thumb is to give our daughter 2-3 choices in a meal situation. For example, if a kids menu at a restaurant has 10 items on it, we'll say, "Addy, do you want chicken or mac and cheese for dinner?" Allowing them to make the decision makes for a better and more comfortable meal. Particularly at a restaurant. And now, the child has told you what they want so you know that they will also enjoy dinner. Lastly, since it was the child who decided, when the meal comes, and the tray has what they ordered on it, you are now teaching them a little lesson is cause and effect. Really, it's win, win, win!
These are just a few of the tips my wife and I have picked up along the way. To qualify the above statements, I will say that many people have told me and my wife how well my daughter eats. But now I am just bragging...
If you have any questions or suggestions for us, please don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LifeGastronomic or look us up on Facebook: The Life Gastronomic.
No comments:
Post a Comment