Is Your Child A Poor Eater?

Is Your Child A Poor Eater?

Here are the most common reasons that we believe are why that happens!

It is rare that we have a child join our daycare after the age of fourteen months who is a good eater.

We have compiled the most common conditions that contribute to that result!

1.They are given too much liquid throughout the day. They may be still on a bottle or using a large sip cup, or both. They may be getting the bottle too often but more commonly, they have huge sup cups filled with water/juice/milk on an ongoing basis throughout the day. This is also more than likely happening very close to mealtime as well.

I call this “liquid bloat” these children are getting way too much liquid! How can they possibly be hungry enough to desire and enjoy solid food?

There seems to be a belief that they need a constant ingestion of liquid, or it is because it keeps the child quiet. Their bodies need time to build up a desire for food!

2. They are given a snack too close to mealtime, often as soon as they said they were hungry. Distract them instead with a new activity. Show them on the clock when they will be eating and they will have to wait until then. Sometimes physical activity can be more successful than quieter time.

3. They were given the same food repeatedly because they liked it. You fell into a habit of not expanding their menu. For example, having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or hot dogs all the time is not a healthy habit. You need to expect more from them.

4.There are no family meals. A child is expected to eat a meal by themselves while the parents are otherwise occupied.

5.The child is offered different food than the parents are eating. The parents themselves have a different menu which gives the child a confusing message.

6.They eat by themselves at a different time to the parents can enjoy their meal together.

Food is a social experience. Your child will learn to enjoy food more readily when there is a pleasant environment and food that is being shared by all.

We will discuss this issue again and share our approach to mealtime at our daycare as well as the approach we have used forever with great results.

Talk to you again next week!

Good luck!