Feeding pickiness is a common phenomenon among children nowadays. They would eat a lot of snacks but refuse to touch their meals, causing a nutritional imbalance. Parents are worried about this issue but can't find the specific reason behind their child's pickiness. Let's take a look together with the following information!
Reasons for a child's picky eating
1. Eating too many snacks, which affects the intake of regular meals.
2. Limited exposure to a variety of foods from a young age, making them unwilling to accept unfamiliar foods.
3. Sensitivity towards certain food textures, specific odors, or tastes.
4. Parents themselves have a habit of being picky eaters.
5. Lack of a sense of dining ritual or atmosphere.
Methods to deal with a child's picky eating
1. Continue breastfeeding
Research reports have shown that babies who are breastfed from an early age have a stronger acceptance to a variety of flavors.
2. Lead by example and encourage improvement in diet
Parents are the role models for their children from infancy. The child's eating habits are greatly influenced by their parents, so it is best for parents to avoid being picky eaters themselves.
3. Accurately estimate the child's food intake
Babies are active and have a fast metabolism, but their appetite is small. We should not have overly high expectations for their food intake.
4. Use the child's curiosity cleverly
If the child encounters food that he or she doesn't like at the dinner table, threatening or scaring the child to eat it should be avoided to prevent resistance from developing.
What mothers can do is to make good use of the child's curiosity. They can eat the disliked dishes in front of the child with relish.
5. Drink plenty of water
When it comes to the benefits of drinking water, it is an endless topic in our lives. It is not only important for adults but also for children to drink plenty of water.
