Mothers all know that babies need to start adding complementary foods from the age of six months, not only to help them through the weaning period, but also to supplement their nutrition and improve their immune system. However, many babies have the habit of being picky eaters, refusing to eat vegetables and fruits, or eating them in smaller quantities. Over time, this can lead to imbalanced nutrition, affecting their growth and intellectual development, as well as weakening their resistance. Below, let me show you some methods to deal with picky eaters.
Causes of picky eating in children:
1. Monotonous diet. There are two situations: one is eating the same food for a long time and getting tired of it, eventually not wanting to eat it anymore. The other is becoming accustomed to certain foods and rejecting new foods with different tastes.
2. Influenced by parents' picky eating habits. Parents should set a good example and avoid being picky eaters.
3. Temporary intolerance to certain foods, such as eating improperly prepared or stored food, or eating greasy food that is not suitable due to illness, which leads to a strong aversion and eventually becomes a fixed picky eating habit.
4. Excessive consumption of snacks leading to picky eating. On one hand, eating too many snacks affects appetite and eventually leads to picky eating. On the other hand, children who love snacks, especially highly processed ones, tend to develop a finicky taste and are less likely to accept vegetables or other coarser processed dishes.
5. Some families watch TV or play while eating, which distracts the child's attention and prevents them from eating attentively. In some families, parents are afraid that their children won't eat enough or eat well, so they stare at them while eating. Gradually, the child may use slow eating as a way to gain attention and care from adults. The more anxious the parents are about the child's eating, the less the child will eat properly.
Methods to deal with picky eating:
1. Leading by example
Teachers and parents should set a good example by not being picky eaters themselves. They should eat together with the child and show satisfaction and enjoyment for each type of food. At the same time, children love to receive praise from others. In front of a picky eater, parents can praise other children who are not picky eaters, which will make the child envy and actively imitate their behavior.
2. Hands-on experience
Encourage children to participate in pre-meal services. Parents and teachers can make use of their curiosity and active nature to let them help set the table, serve dishes, and distribute bowls and chopsticks. They can even help with washing vegetables and fetching condiments when cooking. During the cooking process, let the child fully express their creativity. Faced with the results of their own labor, the child will naturally develop a good appetite.
3. Creating a pleasant atmosphere
Regardless of the reason, parents and teachers should avoid threatening, scolding, or punishing children during mealtime, as it affects their appetite. They should create a joyful atmosphere during meals, making the child happy and willing to eat.
4. Ideal motivation
Every child has their own dreams and aspirations, and we should guide them accordingly. For example, when seeing football players on TV, parents can say to the child, "Look, these uncles have such strong bodies because they often eat carrots, cabbage, fish, and meat. When you grow up, don't you want to become a football player too? You should start eating these foods now!"
5. Scientific guidance: Do not force the baby to eat food they don't like, nor let them indulge in their favorite foods. Encourage and praise every little progress the baby makes in overcoming picky eating. Help the baby develop a regular schedule for eating and control the amount and frequency of snacking. It's best to cultivate good eating habits in the baby.
6. Diversify the dishes: Pay attention to the color combination of ingredients, seasonings, or changes in appearance. You can also use attractive tableware and put in some effort to make the baby always feel a sense of freshness, gradually adapting to foods they previously disliked.
