Fussy eating is a very common phenomenon in kids, though really tough to handle. Someday they like one particular food, which they don’t like the next day, driving their parents crazy. In fact, for kids, it is more about making independent choices.
Here we need to understand the working of their mind, as they are neither having a loss of appetite nor are they on a hunger strike. In fact, the same kid goes to their friend’s house or a birthday celebration and eats well, making their parents wonder where they are going wrong.
The better way to tackle fussy eating is by avoiding overindulgence and not paying too much attention to your kid’s food. Otherwise, mealtimes will become unpleasant, emotionally surcharged, and stressful situations for both the kid and the family. First things first, you should respect your kid’s likes and dislikes. Also, rather than preparing one type of food every day, try to bring more variety to it. Kids like food that is more colorful, looks interesting, and is fun to eat.
Also, they should be given 2–3 choices of food that they like, but remember the choice should not become infinite. The more you persuade them to eat a particular food, the more they will resist. So it is better to have a relaxed attitude and let them enjoy what they like.
It is a fact that kids love to eat in groups, and most of the time they prefer to eat what others are eating, so there is not always a need to prepare an extra-special meal for them.
One of the common mistakes that parents make is that they tend to use ‘blackmailing’ behavior. Things like “Once you eat your veggies, you will get your favorite ice cream” are never going to help. On the contrary, it will make them more averse to veggies or any healthy food.
In fact, one must understand that food fussiness is a behavioral issue that should be dealt with by changing your attitude and approach toward feeding your child.
