Coping With The Fussy Eater: Essential Toddler Help
Young kids can be fussy eaters who refuse to try a new food at least half of the time. Around half of all young children fit this description, so it is no wonder that food issues are a major cause of stress for parents.
Establishing healthy eating habits is essential to avoid health issues such as eating disorders and obesity later in life. Various strategies can help your child accept a wider range of foods. It may be necessary to offer a food to your child as many as 10 different times before they decide to eat it. The problem is, many parents get frustrated and give up before the fourth or fifth attempt.
Try to make foods fun. Colorful foods like carrot sticks, raisins, apples, grapes, cheese sticks and crackers can all be fun and healthy choices for your growing daughter or son. Explain to them that eating good food is important so they’ll grow big and strong, and how it will help them to run faster and play longer.
Children learn behaviors from their parents. If you restrict yourself to a narrow range of foods, your daughter or son will take notice and copy your caution. Don’t limit your daughter or son’s food variety to only those foods you prefer. It may be that your daughter or son’s tastes are different to yours, and perhaps you are simply serving them foods they don’t happen to like. Try to set a good example and try a variety of foods in front of your daughter or son. It might motivate them to do the same.
If your daughter or son seems healthy and energetic, then they are eating enough. If you are still concerned, keep an eye on how much food they actually eat over the day. Children tend to graze constantly, rather than restrict their eating to three meals a day like adults. You may be surprised how those little handfuls and snacks add up. For further reassurance, check your daughter or son’s growth and weight charts, or check with your child’s pediatrician.
Try not to worry, and don’t forget, that unless a child is ill, they will eat. Children are very good at judging their hunger and fullness signals. Try to stay relaxed about mealtime and offer your daughter or son a wide variety of foods, and most importantly, don’t forget to set a good example by trying a wide variety of foods yourself. You may discover you and your son pr daughter share a new found favorite food!
Potty training is another area of parenting that seems to cause stress. But it does not have to be
tips for toilet training boys
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These articles, although primarily aimed at toilet training boys offer advice and tips that work just as well if you are potty training girls. You’ll soon learn that preparation is the key to success.
