“When parents are too focused on every bite and pressure their children to eat, it usually backfires as toddlers then refuse, similar to potty training.”
Dr. Tanya Altmann, co-author of What to Feed Your Baby”, goes on to offer these suggestions:
“Choose a healthy first food such as pureed avocado, organic plain whole yogurt, pureed green veggies. Let your infant lean in and open his mouth when he wants to eat. Don’t force feed or play airplane games — that doesn’t help.”
Ellyn Satter, a registered dietician, family therapist & author of “Child of Mine: Eating with Good Sense”, makes another point worth noting:
“Kids do better with eating when they get their parents undivided, positive attention. However you put together a meal, it’s still important to sit down together and pay attention to each other when you eat it.”
Beth Saltz, co-author “What to Feed Your baby”:
“Sit together as a family, whatever your family may look like. Turn off the screens. Cook. I like to encourage positive strategies like these for feeding toddlers, instead of negative strategies like pressuring.”
WFSB, 7/30/18
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