Be it your 2 year old toddler or your 12 year old school-going kid, food is the topic which is of continuous concern. Up till 6 months it is easier for you as well as your kid, but after that period when you introduce solids to your kid, all hell seems to break loose and problems happen. Babies are introduced to new tastes and while they like some, they vehemently reject the others. Some babies adjust to the new tastes, but in some infants this problem carries forward even as they grow up. So there is a need to bring food discipline in children.
The fuss over food becomes so much that it almost becomes a challenge for you to feed them healthy and the right kind of food. If you are also undergoing the same issues, then you have come to the right place! Here are a few tips on how to bring food discipline in children.
In This Article
Food Discipline in Toddlers
Most child behavior issues are centered around food and eating. It is the prime responsibility of all parents to provide their children with wholesome, healthy food that nurtures and nourishes their bodies. But it is easier said than done. Toddlers have a great task – they test limits. Let us take you through tried and tested strategies that work best with toddlers when it comes to food discipline:
1. High Chair and Table
It is important that you feed them on their high table and chair. With this they will not only learn to use a table and chair while eating, but will also understand that food must be eaten only at the table and that you are not willing to run about in the whole house to feed them. This will ensure that they do not end up eating on the couch as they grow up.
2. Be Firm
Your toddler will probably oppose it in the beginning and throw hands but be firm. Though you may deviate once in a while, make sure this does not become a habit.
3. Make a Meal Routine and Follow It
Don’t keep offering food to your kid every now and then. Eating anytime and every time is not healthy for anyone, let alone kids. Plan it at proper intervals so that they are not hungry otherwise.
[Read : Top Delicious Foods For Picky Toddlers]
4. Green Vegetables
Did you like those green vegetables while you were a kid? No right? Neither does your kid. So, the best way is to blend their food. Also, toddlers do not have the sense to judge how a particular dish is supposed to taste so quit trying to make it appeal 100% to their taste buds and try to add as much nutrition in their food as possible.
5. Do Not Force Feed
Respect your child’s desire not to eat when s/he does not want to. Force feeding does not really go a long way.
6. Avoid Wasting Food
Inculcate the quality of not wasting food. Honestly, this is a very important trait that everyone must have, and yet is not common. We cannot afford to waste food, they need to understand this. The earlier, the better.
[Read : Negative Effects Of Forcing Your Kids To Eat (1-3 Years)]
7. Mealtime Hassles
Unless you want a child who gets up and goes in between having meals, it is best to sit straight and wait at the table till you finish your food. This way the child will get an idea that ‘nobody moves till dinner is over’.
8. Wrap Up Warning
When your toddler throws food around, wrap up the meal and tell him that s/he doesn’t look hungry. Do not feed them until the next mealtime. Lesson learnt!
Food Discipline in School Going Kids
Dealing with school going kids can be even trickier. After all, they now know all sorts of things and have opinions on everything. The television and print media is bombarded with unhealthy foods endorsed by muscular and lean looking models. Then there is the temptation to grab all the freebies that come with so many foods. Some kids may be bitten by the ‘healthy eating’ bug at a young age and they may resist food groups as such. Food probably does not score very high on the list, and if it is healthy, served without the TV, it just does not pass down! So it is important to bring food discipline in children. Here are few tips:
1. Be a Role Model
From the very beginning make sure you eat healthy stuff in front of your kids. Kids imbibe good habits. So, if they see you eating healthy food then they too will. Remember, children follow examples, not words.
[Read : Immunity Boosting Foods For Kids]
2. Shop Grocery Shopping Together
Going grocery shopping? Take your kids along. The way it is important for them to eat healthy food it is equally important for them to understand which of them are healthy. Your school going kids are inquisitive, let them explore at the grocery store and answer their questions. This awareness will lead to self-choice.
3. Balance the Food Intake
Teach them how to balance their food intake. For example, if they have one doughnut today they should have a bowl of green vegetables for a meal.
4. Make the Mealtimes Fun
Put in some fun elements during mealtimes by allowing them to set the table for dinner, serve food to other family members and so on.
5. Don’t Entertain Short-Orders
If they demand a particular dish, say that you will make it for them the next day but today they will have to eat whatever is cooked.
6. Food is Not a Bribe
Never use food for bribes, punishments or rewards. Treating them with a box of candies if they have cleaned up the room is not a good idea at all.
7. Involve Your Kids in the Kitchen
Kids have a thing for cooking and whether you know it or not, helping you in the kitchen makes them proud. In the kitchen they will learn a lot about vegetables, spices etc. which will develop their interest in food.
8. Keep Away the Disturbance
When you sit down to eat, stay away from tabs, television and newspapers. Tell your children to relish the food and focus on their bodies, rather than munching in with eyes glued onto the idiot box.
9. Offer Small Portions
Your child may not be as hungry as you’d like or want them to be. Do not kill the appetite by putting huge portions on the plate.
10. Stress on Breakfast
Make sure your kid has a hefty breakfast and also let them know the importance of a good breakfast.
The best thing about kids is, if you explain to them the things you are doing with logic, they will definitely understand and go along with you. At the same time it is important that you don’t push them too hard. A survey says that it takes about 7-10 attempts for a kid to eat an item s/he does not like much but eventually will definitely give it a try. So, be patient. Till then keep practicing these food discipline in children. Who said parenting is a cake-walk?
Read Also:
Tips To Deal With A Fussy Eater
Teach Your Children Table Manners
