There’s not a mom in the world who can confess to never having food battles with her kid. The cycle of offering, coaxing, losing temper, punishment ending in tears and frustration on both sides, just goes on and on. We all wish there was an easier way to deal with meal times without stamping our feet every single time. Clinical psychologist Prachi S Vaish lays a few simple guidelines you can follow to make meals fun for your child and peaceful for yourself!
Keep it simple
Children don’t like a jumble of foods on their plates. For example, at one meal, roti/paratha with one vegetable/scrambled egg would be enough. When he sees that there is very little food to tackle he is less likely to make a fuss.
Divide and rule
Instead of struggling to give him three full meals a day, it would be better to split it into little portions every two to three hours. This way he will not dread the thought of a full plate being stuffed into him, and you will have the opportunity of feeding him a variety of foods; hence more nutrients.Make food interesting
Feeding a child requires a lot of imagination. Think of ways in which you can make the usual food appear new. Instead of making a usual cheese sandwich, offer him a cheese slice melted on a cream cracker and sprinkled with herbs; chapattis or parathas can be turned into pizzas by making a topping of veggies and cheese and grilling them.
Let them pick
If he gets to choose what he is going to eat, chances are he will not resist. This doesn’t mean that you let him pick junk food every time. Give him two healthy options and ask to choose one. Do not mention junk food. Instead of saying ‘what would you like for dinner?’ try saying ‘would you like a chicken sandwich or an egg sandwich for dinner?’
Family first
If you make it a point to have meals as a family (except when he is in school of course), and make it a fun hour where everyone talks about their day; everyone gets to share an opinion or a funny story and no one is considered ‘too young’ for a discussion, your kids will learn to look forward to meal times and amidst all that chatter and excitement they will gobble up their food before they know it!
All you need to win the meal-war from your kids is a little patience and lots of creativity; if applied thoughtfully, they can do wonders for your child and you.
