Rule # 1 Make every bite count!
All a child eat should be nutritious. Children can be picky and
inconsistent, so make sure that what they eat is very good for them. Thus if
they end up having two bites of potatoes for dinner, you can be sure that they
least had a great lunch, snacks, etc.
“Where is the fun?” you ask. There is not much space in the little tummy, think
carefully before filling it with garbage. And ask yourself why you are offering chocolate
bars or cookies at snack time. It is often a parent / caregiver who is leading
pleasure of seeing children gleefully down without a nutritious treat. Your child can
enter into a smile and joy from many other places – it does not have to be junk food
Rule # 2 Ban the word “dessert” from your food vocabulary, and use the “entertainment” carefully ..
Make desserts healthy (not just fun) so things like fruit, nuts and yogurt
become part of a meal, not a reward for completing it. All good food can be
entertainment, but we often only junk as such – so says understanding
By isolating foods under these categories, you can negate their nutritional value to.
your child if you are to follow Rule 1. Again, it is usually a caregiver who delights in
serve “dessert” or “entertainment” more than two years would probably not
same one if they have never had a triple chocolate cake with whipped cream.
Rule # 3 Be persistent, not insistent.
may take the child time to warm up to new foods. Just introduce foods gently
time and time again until they try it. Never insist that they try something they do not
will, and certainly never insist that they finish their plate. Mealtime should not
a battle time. They will eat if they need to.
If you start in a power struggle over meals, the risk that there will be long-term. The point
to get them to eat healthfully, not develop the relationship between food and
control. This is one reason why developing healthy eating habits early on is so
important.
Rule # 4 break the rules our parents taught us.
Many of us remember the mother to put food on our plates and expect us to eat
it – or not. There were few struggles back then because children learn quickly
that if they do not eat what they were served, they would go hungry. And after
several nights sitting at the table with them until they had completed their beans, they
learned to eat them without protest.
We now know how destructive it can be. Many adult eating disorders began in
childhood, and many suffer remember this aspect of the dinner table as a
child.
Regarding the tastebuds child’s mood is as different from yours is
your spouse’s or your neighbor means to learn to break the rules “family
meal “from time to time.
Let your child have a” creative “meal consisting of healthy foods they want, but
the rest of the family has their casserole, curry, or stirfry. As long as it’s healthy, and
does not happen every night of the week, let the child choose their own meals
usually will not create problems our parents thought it would be. It will likely
foster respect for healthy eating rather than unhealthy connection with
mealtime.
Rule # 5 everyone needs Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for many, if not all, children.
Missing breakfast can set the tone for the whole day and create a vicious circle
too tired to eat vs. too hungry to nap … and so on. What adult does not love
are hungry and tired child on their hands?
Many studies, many caregivers, will attest to the fact that a good breakfast
helps children function better mentally. While most studies lean toward school age
children, this fact should be applied to babies and toddlers as well.
Many symptoms stereotypic “terrible two” year old is often hunger. Breakfast
should contain some protein in chronic energy, helping to offset the midmorning
meltdown. Prevention is key because a miserable child often will not eat, and you
will not get your goal of feeding them well.
Rule # 6 Learn from your child
Our children know best more than we give them credit for. Some tummies are
very good at letting their owners know when to eat, and how much to eat. Let
children learn how to listen to their bodies – many adults have forgotten. Children
never fit into one mold, and the rules of another person (as 5) usually
needs to be changed to fit your family. Learn to follow the rules of the child from time to
time … they may surprise you.