Food (not so) Glorious Food

Hi Parents...There are many reasons why your child may not want to eat.  It's pretty scary for a parent...you probably think you are starving the poor child if you don't get some food down him/her.  Well, forcing your child to eat is NOT the way to go.  Rather than force your child to eat, encouraging him/her to try new foods works much better.  Try planning the meals yourself without asking for suggestions from the child.  Serve foods they like and new foods for them to try.  They may just look at the new food.  After a while you can encourage them to smell it, and maybe taste it.  If the child does try (even if they still won't eat it) praise him/her for trying.  Cutting back on snacking also helps.  It's better to serve meals and snacks at specific times so that your child will know when to expect it.  Be sensitive to your child's tastes.  There are usually very good reasons why he/she does not want certain foods.  Probably it's not because they are just being difficult.  You are not giving into them by gently encouraging rather than forcing.  Listen to your gut as a parent...if you think your child needs professional help with this, go for it. Time and understanding will lead to more enjoyable meals for the whole family.  Contact me if you want to know more about picky eaters and how to help them.