As a family, eating together is how children learn to make healthy food choices, to communicate with each other and to have good table manners. So these processes take time for your kids to learn and master. So here are five dos and don’ts for making mealtimes with young kids go smoothly:
1. Invite everybody to sit together
It is better for young kids to sit with the family even if they aren’t ready for solid foods or are still refusing to eat them because they will start to learn the rules of dining. Here is how you can make the most of it:
• Be a role model. Let your kids see you trying different foods, and observe your good eating habits. For instance, eat your vegetables if you want your kids to try them. Also, allow your kids to observe how you answer questions and don’t interrupt, to acquire good social behavior in dining.
• Set reasonable time limit. Eating shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes. If needed, you can even set a clock timer to emphasize the time expectation.
2. Let kids choose from what’s on the table.
It’s good to let your kids choose from what’s on the table, and it’s alright if they choose just one or two things. Make a decision about what you will serve, and stick to it. If your kid does not want to eat a part of the meal, do not make them something different.
Accept that kids will consume some foods and leave others unscathed. Encourage the two bite rule - try two bites of a food - and after that, halt it and don’t try to harass your kid about it. If you regularly offer a variety of foods, your kid will get the nutrition he or she needs.
Additionally, don’t expect your kids to eat as much as you do. Their servings are in proportion to their age and body size.
3. Keep trying if you don’t succeed.
Young children may need exposure to a food 10 to 20 times before they choose to eat it. It can take another 10 to 20 attempts before they determine if they like it. So if your child rejects something, try again in a few weeks.
Let your kids select which vegetable to serve for dinner occasionally. If your child made it, he or she is much more likely to try it.
Try combining new foods with foods children like to help them feel more at ease. Offering a selection of colors and textures is essential, especially with fruits and vegetables. A child who never sees a yellow vegetable will become an adult who never eats a yellow vegetable.
4. Don’t make kids finish dinner just to get dessert.
A lot of parents insist that children clean their plates in order to get dessert. Actually, there is no magical quantity for how much they need to eat to earn dessert, but they should have made a reasonable attempt to try the meal.
5. Don’t prohibit treats.
As a health conscious parent, you could feel tempted to make some foods completely forbidden especially if your kid is overweight. But “forbidden” foods are an attraction for kids and they tend to over consume these foods each and every time they get the chance.
As an alternative, take a balanced method by encouraging healthier treats and smaller servings of those treats. Yet again, this is where modelling is important. For instance, it is great to have ice cream but everyone should have the kiddie serving instead of regular servings.
• Set reasonable time limit. Eating shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes. If needed, you can even set a clock timer to emphasize the time expectation.
2. Let kids choose from what’s on the table.
It’s good to let your kids choose from what’s on the table, and it’s alright if they choose just one or two things. Make a decision about what you will serve, and stick to it. If your kid does not want to eat a part of the meal, do not make them something different.
Accept that kids will consume some foods and leave others unscathed. Encourage the two bite rule - try two bites of a food - and after that, halt it and don’t try to harass your kid about it. If you regularly offer a variety of foods, your kid will get the nutrition he or she needs.
Additionally, don’t expect your kids to eat as much as you do. Their servings are in proportion to their age and body size.
3. Keep trying if you don’t succeed.
Young children may need exposure to a food 10 to 20 times before they choose to eat it. It can take another 10 to 20 attempts before they determine if they like it. So if your child rejects something, try again in a few weeks.
Let your kids select which vegetable to serve for dinner occasionally. If your child made it, he or she is much more likely to try it.
Try combining new foods with foods children like to help them feel more at ease. Offering a selection of colors and textures is essential, especially with fruits and vegetables. A child who never sees a yellow vegetable will become an adult who never eats a yellow vegetable.
4. Don’t make kids finish dinner just to get dessert.
A lot of parents insist that children clean their plates in order to get dessert. Actually, there is no magical quantity for how much they need to eat to earn dessert, but they should have made a reasonable attempt to try the meal.
5. Don’t prohibit treats.
As a health conscious parent, you could feel tempted to make some foods completely forbidden especially if your kid is overweight. But “forbidden” foods are an attraction for kids and they tend to over consume these foods each and every time they get the chance.
As an alternative, take a balanced method by encouraging healthier treats and smaller servings of those treats. Yet again, this is where modelling is important. For instance, it is great to have ice cream but everyone should have the kiddie serving instead of regular servings.
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