Eating, which is vitally important, is one of the basic habits that is a step for the child to manage himself. The most critical point here is how much opportunity the family gives to the child. When I was working as a kindergarten psychologist, I heard the phrases from families that “my child does not eat at all, he has a very poor appetite, he does not look for food all day if I force him to eat”. Children who easily eat their meals at school may become stubborn not to eat at home.
In this case, 2 things need to be reviewed:
1) Is there any forced eating?
2) Is there too much food on the plate?
Like us, children's appetite is also variable. Some children may have less appetite, some may have more. Forcing to eat will result in the child's refusal to eat. As a result of situations such as forcing, begging, threatening, saying that he will punish at mealtimes, it will create feelings of displeasure at mealtimes and cause your child to give avoidance reactions when it is time to eat, by negatively conditioning against eating.
Giving the child as much food as he wants, It is important not to insist on more and to give him the opportunity to eat by himself. From the early stages, the child should be allowed to eat by holding the spoon himself, even if it spills out. However, attention should be paid to ensure that the eating behavior is at the dinner table and, if possible, with family members. In this way, the child observes and imitates how adults eat, learns etiquette and feels like a member of the family. Sometimes, children may also not eat to attract the attention of their parents. The fact that the family is very interested in the child's not eating, that they talk about this situation to others, and that the child hears these conversations awakens the thought that they can get their wishes done through food. It will be good not to show too much attention and not to fall on the child when he does not eat, not to force him if he does not eat at that meal, but not to give anything else if he is hungry until the next meal. When the child does not eat, he will learn that he cannot make up for it until the next meal, and he will suffer the consequences of his behavior. In this attitude, it is important that the family is determined.
The plate should not be filled too much, it should be added if desired. It should not be forgotten that; When children are not satisfied, they may want more. If there are foods that he does not like at the meal, even a little of the things he likes should be added to it, or the things that the child does not like should be fed in different ways. For example ; like putting cheese in pancakes…
Sometimes food can be served using plates, forks, spoons and interesting presentations that the child will like. The child's choice of the materials he will use while eating can affect his desire to eat. Before sitting down to eat, a routine should be established as in the sleep routine, and the child should wash their hands and mouth first. When the child is psychologically prepared for food in this way, it will be easier for him to become mentally ready as well. It may be helpful to specifically ask for your child's opinion by creating options. eg; You might ask, would you like to eat a vegetable dish, would you rather have fresh beans or spinach? It won't be a big problem if they don't eat a few meals and they will start eating when they are hungry unless they are forced.
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