If your child shows fuss while eating, then try these tips…
It is common thing for children to become fussy while eating and show tantrums while eating.
Mothers certainly face difficulty in feeding their children, but if seen, it is a normal part of children’s development. When it comes to food, children have the freedom to express their likes and dislikes. They also learn about this from their surrounding environment. If any member of the family refuses to eat any food, the child also does the same.
Sometimes children do not like the color of the food served and sometimes they do not like the texture of the food. Sometimes children are engrossed in some game or their attention is on running around, then in such a situation they do not pay attention towards food. Then they throw tantrums while eating. And this is a sign of your child being healthy. So don’t panic. The good news is that as children grow up, their tantrums reduce as they learn to see and recognize different types of food.
I too have gone through similar situations for the last two months. My little one was refusing to eat almost everything except bread. I tried many new things to feed him like cutlets, pancakes, smoothies and soups but nothing worked. Then I thought a lot, read something here and there and I understood three things. Here are three tips that will get your child interested in food.
Incorporating food preparation: Yes, you read that right. Involving them in meal preparation will make them more willing to eat foods they previously avoided. This idea can work mainly for feeding vegetables. Therefore, while cutting green vegetables like spinach, fenugreek, peas, okra, etc., give them some work so that they know how to remove and separate the leaves from the stem. Ask them to give you the leaves. They will enjoy this. I did it a couple of times spontaneously and the idea worked. My child was eager to eat the spinach curry because he felt that he had also helped in making it. This is a new way to keep your child busy for some time.
Make it fun: I found this extremely helpful with my child because our children also crave change. Anyone gets bored of eating the same food every day. Therefore, try a new dish every day. The color of food should also be different all the time. While serving the food, also decorate it. And also tell the child enthusiastically about the features of today’s food and the benefits of eating it. Show the child examples of food from books.
Allow hunger: Avoid rushing to feed children. Let them get hungry. Instead of running after the children with food, let them scream of hunger. When they are very hungry, they will not be fussy about eating. We think that as soon as we say so, they will come running to eat. This does not happen. Children remain engrossed in their games and when their hunger becomes unbearable, they run to eat. It would be better if you recognize the time of his hunger and ask him to eat half an hour before, only then he will come to eat and also pay attention to his likes and dislikes of food. If you act with love and understanding, the child will never be fussy about eating.