■ POSITIVE PARENTING
Picky Eaters:
WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER! By Molly Brousseau
I
f you are the parent of a picky eater, you understand the daily struggle around mealtime. The struggle of wasted food, the battle over snacks vs meals, and the sheer stress of “is my child getting the correct nutrients or not.” This can be very stressful when you have a child who will only eat chicken nuggets and buttered noodles in front of the TV (Yes, I am THAT mom). From a former picky eater, and now as the mother of one, there are a few things that have helped alleviate some of the, ‘am I doing this right’ thoughts, and made me realize I am not alone. Jill Castle, a pediatric dietitian, and founder of the Nourished Child said, “The two things you can’t make toddlers do — you can’t make them eat, and you can’t make them go to the bathroom on the potty.” Growing up, many of us lived in a “clean your plate” household but as we learn more, we understand that when it comes to eating, we have 2 jobs as a parent, to decide WHAT they eat, and WHEN. HOW MUCH must come from them. Forcing a child to eat tells a child
we know more about their bodies than they do. We want them to be able to listen to their own hunger and fullness cues and teach them to have a positive relationship around mealtime. Exposure is an important part of incorporating more food into your picky eater’s diet. This can mean placing a food on your child’s plate 10- 20 times before they begin to eat it. The more they see, smell, and explore it, the more likely they are to try it. It is also important when exposing your child to new foods, you are still serving a “safe” food. Something that you know your child has already tried and enjoys, for example, strawberries, or peas. It not only helps ensure they eat something at dinner time but also takes the fear out of seeing new foods on their plate. Modeling good eating is a great way to teach your children the importance of eating a variety of foods. Teaching them that green foods help you fight off sickness or that apples are good for your heart, gives your child a why, and takes some of the pressure off. Setting and hold-
58 / Our City Weston / November 2022 / OurCityMedia.com
ing boundaries on snack times will ensure that your child knows what to expect and when to expect it. And finally, have fun! Use a variety of forks or food picks, cut them into fun shapes or make a picture, add sprinkles or sauces to foods to encourage interest. Remember, you are doing a great job and this stage can’t last forever (right?!). We can’t force our children to eat, only guide them in the right direction to make good choices. Alleviating some of the pressure off ourselves will in turn make for a more enjoyable, and well-rounded mealtime experience.
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Molly Brousseau a first time mom and an educator with over 14 years of experience working with young children. She graduated from FIU with her bachelors in Elementary Education and has worked teaching children from preschool to elementary levels. She received her director’s credential and also a National Administrators Certificate and has been directing preschool for the last five years. She is currently the director at Tiny Planet Preschool and has been since they opened five years ago.
