EASY TRICKS FOR HAPPY MEAL TIME

Children need a balanced and proportionate diet for their healthy growth. They also need a lot of energy for their day to day activities. Specially toddlers who are just starting to crawl or walk, need far more energy than we normally would imagine for someone of their size. Hence, it is common to find toddlers with appetite similar to that of a 7-8 year olds.

All of this does not mean it is easy to feed the children. All parents know how hard a task it could sometimes be. So, here are some tips to reduce your efforts while feeding your child.

SIGN OF A HUNGRY CHILD

It is very important for parents to recognize when their child is hungry. You can obviously find out if your kid is hungry, based on when was the last time he ate and how much he ate. But, sometimes kids can get hungry at odd hours if they play a lot than usual or make more physical activities. Many times, children do not tell by themselves that, they are hungry. There are some easy signs which can help parents understand that their child is hungry or thirsty. For example, constant shouting or complaining, short temper than usual, crying for small reasons.  If you see these signs in your child, you should immediately check if he is thirsty or hungry.

FIX EATING TIME

Well disciplined time table can go a long way in making day to day activities of your child effortless. Eating at the same time everyday, sets up body clock of the children. Their metabolism gets tuned so that they feel hungry at the particular time everyday. More hungry the children are, more easy can be to feed them.

BE PATIENT 

It is easy to get frustrated when your child throws tantrums while eating. You may have a tight schedule, you are tired, you may have had a bad day and the last thing you want is your kid showing tantrums while you eat. Well, I have a bad news for you. Only solution to this scenario is to have patience. If you get agitated and shout or scold your kid, he will never listen to you. He will get more stubborn himself or even start crying but he will not eat his food.

So, what should you do? We suggest you to first do whatever is required to keep yourself calm. It is OK in such scenarios, if you finish your meal first or at least eat something to get your strength back. Now when you have gained your strength, its time to tackle the feeding problem.

BE CREATIVE

To get your kid to start eating, you can try to offer something different than what he is currently reluctant to eat. For example fruits, cheese, different kind of bread, rice etc. it is always a good idea to have some back up food at home. Avoid giving chocolates at such a time. Giving chocolate will end up rewarding their tantrums. Just like us, children also can get bored of eating same food every day. So, try to keep variations in what you give them. You should give your child options but make sure he is still eating healthy food.

Telling a story or talking with your kid about a topic of his interest can also help while feeding. During rare scenarios, you can also let him watch some videos from Youtube. There are many Youtube channels that post quality videos for kids.

Another thing you can try is to present the food in attractive way to your kid. Most children like fast food. One of the reasons behind that is the way fast food is promoted to the children. But you can also try to present healthy food in attractive manner.  You can look for some tips regarding that on the internet. Present your homemade food in a way that your kid likes.

DURING SICKNESS

Sickness is a tough time for both parents and children. If your kid is not feeling very well, it will immediately show in his eating pattern. Children tend to eat less when they are sick. It is absolutely OK if they do not eat in the same quantity as usual. If you have visited a doctor, they will advise what to give your kid and what not to give. Generally, it is a good idea to keep your child more hydrated than usual during sickness. So, you can give him frequently, fruit juice or flavored water. Some kids also like to eat soup during such days.

It is advisable to give many small portions of food to your child during sickness (6 to 8 in a day) than giving him heavy lunch and dinners. It is a good idea to avoid giving him something he does not like to eat. There are times to discipline your child but sickness is not one of them. You should try to make him feel as comfortable as possible while feeding him with enough nutrition.

HAPPY EATING!

So dear parents, do let us know what you think about these tips. Feel free to add some of your own in the comment section.

We wish you a happy and relaxed table time!

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