Children and Eating
It is worth bearing in mind that whilst almost all children go through difficult stages when it comes to eating, causing much anxiety to their parents in the process, many of our worries are unfounded.
A child will normally eat the correct amount of food for their individual metabolism and, providing they are gaining weight, and not eating too much sugar, salt or fatty foods, it is best not to worry about their eating habits too much.
Of course you want your child to eat all the right foods in the right amounts in order for them to grow into strong, healthy human beings. Many of us start off by mashing up every vegetable available as soon as they are weaned, feeling very proud of ourselves when they eat it all only to find that a few months down the line they will no longer eat any of it!
So, what do we do? Well, relax. Remember that children learn by example, so don’t sit there with a bag of potato chips just before meal times unless you want them to do the same.
Try to be calm; meal times should be happy social times. Eat with your children whenever possible so that they are not the full focus of attention. Give them healthy finger-foods and allow them to feed themselves as soon as they can manage it.
If you want your child to eat comfortably in other peoples houses or restaurants it is wise to try to use a dining table and stay sitting until the meal is finished. Remember the example? If you are constantly getting up and down during a meal, eating with your fork only or chewing with your mouth full, your child will do the same.
It is a good idea to establish a routine when it comes to eating. This is also good for the digestive system as the body gets used to being fed at certain times. Obviously this is not always possible and the occasional break to routine never did anyone any harm. But wherever possible try to help your child to understand that at a certain time of the day we sit, and we eat. Happily!
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