The nightmare of many parents – a child who won’t eat. This problem affects many children and is often not serious. There can be several reasons for a child’s lack of appetite. These are rarely health problems. Before we go to the doctor and start panicking, it’s worth trying a few simple ways for a fussy eater.
Record how much and what your child eats. Perhaps the child is not a fussy eater, and you panic unnecessarily?
5-10 minutes before the meal starts, tell your child that you will be setting the table. It will then have time to prepare – clean up toys, etc.
Keep your child calm during the meal. Therefore, turn off the TV, do not answer the phone.
Don’t get upset if your baby doesn’t want to eat. Screams accompanying meals will evoke negative associations in the child, so eating will not be a pleasant situation for him.
Don’t force your child to eat. Children are able to regulate the amount of food they eat on their own. Therefore, if the child is gaining weight properly, there is no reason to worry – the comfort will tell us when it gets hungry.
Make meals not boring. It is worth remembering the principle of “eating with your eyes”, which is very effective with regard to children. Foods that are colorful and presented taste better. You can create a drawing with ketchup on a sandwich, make a snowman with cottage cheese, make a fly agaric with an egg and tomato. An interesting idea is also colorful potatoes – pink with the addition of beets or green with broccoli.
Let your child eat as much as possible on their own. No need to worry about a dirty floor and table then.
Let the child know what he eats. Let him explore food. Before preparing a meal and giving it to your child to try, show colorful pictures of fruits with unusual shapes, tell about them – where they grow, what colors they have and what they taste like. Before shopping, you can look at different products, and later, together with your child, look for them in the store.
Take small portions. If a child sees a huge portion on the plate, he will feel the pressure to eat everything, and this is not conducive to appetite. It is better to put less so that the plate is empty after the meal. The fussy eater will surely feel satisfied that he ate everything and may ask for more.
Less and more often, i.e. sensible serving meals at intervals. It is better to give less food more often than vice versa. Allow your child to get hungry and rest between meals.
Snacks with the head. If your child snacks, he or she will no longer have an appetite for main meals.
Shared meals. Every child imitates their parents, which is why shared meals are so important. They allow the child to learn and create family bonds. If a child sees their parents eating in a relaxed atmosphere, they are more likely to join in the meal.
Preparing meals together. Children love to help their parents in their work, they feel appreciated and independent. The meal that the child prepared himself will certainly taste better.