Is your child a picky eater?
Don’t worry. Most of the children age two to six are very picky in their meals and there are many reasons why they refuse to eat certain food, the food may look unfamiliar for them but picky eating maybe a child way’s of exerting his/her independence though this is very common. Your concern may be, is my child eating enough nutritious food? And the meals times become stressful for both parents and the child.
Here are some suggestions that might help you to cope with the problem and help the child to eat variety nutritious food:
* Do not allow your kids to have snack just before the meals
time.
* Have a regular eating schedule, stress that breakfast, lunch and dinner are the MUST meals beside the snacks.
* Prepare the food with your child size so that he/she will not overwhelmed by the quantity of the food on the plate.
* Do not punish your child for not eating.
* Do not reward your child for every bite he/she has.
* Do not force your child to eat the food he/she does not like, it may cause him/her vomit out the food and it will be such a waste.
* You should explain to your child why food is important to him.
* You may allow your child to have snack as it is important to obtain needed nutrients but do not allow much snack in a day.
* Limit your child liquid drinking hour before the meal time.
* Try to separate your child reject food from other dishes.
* You may allow or involve your child to choose the menu he/ she likes.
* If you wish your child to like the new food, be the model for them, have yourself to eat new food and let them know that it’s okay to taste the new food.
* If he/she is willing to try the new food, do not give in a large quantity, you should give him/her a little bit to try before serving the whole on his/her plate.
* Remember that not all the children are fast in eating
Do not rush your child at his/her meal time give him/her time to bite his/her food properly.
* You may allow your child in food preparing process, he/she probably enjoy eating the food prepared by him/herself.
* If your child is developing and growing well, gaining his/her weight and height, there is no need for you to worry if he/she eats a small portion of food.
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