50 | June 2020 |motherandbaby.co.uk
BRING PEACE TO YOUR DAYMealtimesWHY THE DRAMA?
Firstly, if it’s a mealtime, your
youngster is probably hungry. And,
as anyone who’s ever been ‘hangry’
knows, that in itself can cause a few
moody moments. Secondly, mealtime
involves a transition. Your child has to
put down what he’s doing and sit at
the table. You want him to, but he may
not feel the same way. And, thirdly,
food can be a tricky issue for parents.
‘How children eat can feel like a
high-stakes activity,’ says Rebecca.
‘We want our kids to eat a well-
balanced diet so they
grow up fit and
healthy. But
children
can befussy about food. Their appetites
fluctuate; some are reluctant to try
new tastes and textures, and it can be
frustrating for parents to see their
efforts in the kitchen being rejected
by a-making-his-feelings-known
toddler. Plus, lots of parents have
tricky relationships with food
themselves. That makes it harder for
them to remain neutral about their
child’s approach to eating.’
But when parents get annoyed,
toddlers pick up on it – and then the
feelings can escalate...SOOTHING
STEPS...
● Look
for help
If you
can
getyour child involved in food
preparation, it’ll help him to be aware
that the meal is happening and to feel
more ownership over it. That can pay
dividends in terms of getting him
interested in sitting at the table and
sharing a meal together. ‘Try saying,
“Please would you be super-helpful
and wipe the table?”’ says Rebecca.
‘Or “Please would you be super-
helpful and put this plate on the
table?”’ If he does, great! If he
doesn’t, just let him make that choice.
● Give him a heads-up
‘Toddlers get very absorbed in
whatever activity they’re doing,’ says
Rebecca. ‘If he’s busy doing a jigsaw,
he may not notice you cooking or
setting the table – or sitting at the
table waiting for him.’ The answer is
to take a couple of minutes while the
food is cooking to go over to your
toddler, get down to his level, make
eye contact and tell him that after
he puts in three more
pieces of his jigsaw,
it will be time
for dinner.