Blog » The Picky Eater - A New Perspective
The Picky Eater - A New Perspective
Posted November 3, 2009
It is rare these days to hear of a toddler who eats really, really well. I wonder if this is due to a generational change in the eating behavior of kids from about 1 to 4 years or if it a product of higher parental expectations. The "Clean Plate Club" many parents remember from their own childhood seems to be seen as a negative - to be avoided - by today's parents but maybe it has simply taken on a new face.
Higher parental expectations? It is interesting to note that charts and "guidelines" posted and promoted at health clinics actually recommend a certain number of tablespoons of various kinds of food to be offered in a certain order to every child over 6 months. The amounts increase according to age, of course, and the recommendations can easily give a parent the impression that 3 solid meals a day are required at an early age and that the challenges of vegetables, fruit and meat are just around the corner.
It is possible, but I would like to hear from you so I can be sure, that parents are left with the impression early on that their baby's birth weight, post-natal weight gain and toddler eating habits are urgent concerns causing some parents who fear they may be judged, to try to get their child to eat more than the child's appetite actually dictates.
The research behind starting solid food and feeding toddlers and preschoolers stresses that parents should be relaxed and respectful of their child's tastes and appetite from day to day. Young children become very aware of colors, smells and texture of food and they also can detect if there is parental pressure to eat. They learn this when someone hovers over them, watching, coaxing or playing games to get them to eat more. The pressure usually results in the child dreading mealtimes and actually eating less in the long run.
There are some resources available to you if you feel stress over how much your child eats. I suggest the Ellen Satter book How to Get Your Child To Eat But Not Too Much. Also, I welcome Telephone Counseling appointments (45 minutes) on the subject of feeding toddlers and preschoolers. You and I will study the list of foods your child will eat willingly and make up a meal plan that takes into account your concerns and your child's nutritional needs. I'll help you gain insight into designing an eating environment so your child will grow up with a healthy relationship with food.
Dr. T. Berry Brazelton's magic menu for daily toddler survival: 2 pints of milk, 2 ounces of protein with iron, a little fruit and 1 multi-vitamin!
Filed under: Daily Routines, Feeding and Eating
Comments
After coming out of our 4 month old baby’s immunization appointment loaded down with pamphlets and handouts about starting solids at 6 months I can say with confidence that I’m already feeling pressure to get the correct type and amount of solid food into my baby and she hasn’t even started yet!
By Megan on November 4, 2009
I feel the same way as Megan, I don’t want to overload my baby’s system with new food. But I don’t know how much to give him throughout the day. If he needs to have formula until he is 12 months for his nutritional needs then how much and when do you give him solid foods. I am giving him cereal now a few times a day before his bottle feedings. It seems to be working but when and how do I introduce veggies and fruit and stuff. Will he keep getting the cereal too? So confused by it all!!!!
By Michele on November 4, 2009
Starting solid food with a baby can be so easy! It must be the “teaching” of it that turns it into something onerous. When you notice your baby taking an interest in watching you eat, mix up a little baby cereal to the consistency of oatmeal and put a little up to your baby’s lips. Have fun with this, taking a picture of the moment, etc. Do it again the next day and the next, but if you forget or don’t have time one day, don’t worry about it. The breast milk or formula is the major growth food for the first year. I suggest you stick to once a day (1 hour after milk, rather than prior to a milk feeding) with the solid food for a few weeks or month so you and your baby get a sense of mastery over this. When you feel curious about whether your baby would like sweet potatoes-try it! Bananas? Your own mashed potatoes? Chart your own course at your own speed. If you run into problems, give me a call.
By Kitty on November 4, 2009
I always thought a child’s eating habits had everything to do with the parents, but now I’m not sure. We have a 4 year old who will eat anything. He has always been a diverse eater, even as a baby/toddler and we thought this was a direct result of our encouragement and our own eating habits. But we also have a 2 year old who is a picky eater and turns up his nose at most of the foods we offer him even though the rest of the family is eating it. Therefore, his diet is much more limited. Is this common?
By Theresa on November 4, 2009
Our 4 1/2 year old son has been picky since he was one. It gets extremely tiresome when he is absolutely starving but refuses to eat or even try the meal that has been prepared. Unfortunately, our 16 month old daughter seems to be heading down the same path. (She ate more variety a couple of months ago).We don’t make a separate meal for the kids. If they don’t want to eat what is served that evening, then they don’t eat until breakfast. I have to say that dinner time is rarely an enjoyable experience.
By Christine on November 4, 2009
