We had not yet spoken in our Special Infant Feeding about children who 'eat little': For many families, mealtime seems to become a battlefield where strategies are replaced by threats, punishments and cries. But sometimes in the attempt for children to put something in their mouths, adults end up allowing unhealthy food, even at the cost of having to get up from the table to prepare an alternative dish, or pick up a package of buns offered to the little one.
Feeding (especially in the case of children) It should be sufficient to meet the needs of the body, balanced in nutrients, and based on the intake of fair and not excessive rations. It is much more important to monitor quality than quantity, and this is something that can guide us when it comes to understanding children that we believe they do not eat enough, but in reality they are feeding well.
And why is quality important? Well, neither more nor less than because the correct food is the basis of proper nutrition. The difference between the two actions is that the first is a conscious act and the second is not, however it is very important to understand that the body uses the food we provide to perform its vital functions. Why parents should get involved for children to 'eat everything'?, obviously because they are growing and we want them to stay healthy. But what is eating everything? Without a doubt, it is about eating daily and balanced food from all groups. Thus adults are responsible for offering a balanced diet to the little ones.
That is, if a child eats beans and carrots, he is already eating vegetables even if he does not like peas and peppers.
But not infrequently we get desperate because the children would prefer to eat pasta daily, and instead we don't get them to try the vegetables, are we making mistakes? How can we change this and other similar situations?
Basic tips for families
They may work, but first of all let me remember that we eat out of necessity (and if you want for pleasure), but eating should not be an obligation, so do not forget that the nutritional behavior of children should be assessed taking into account factors such as the growth phase they are in, the physical exercise they develop and daily rest. It is these factors that affect appetite.
1.-Healthy and quality food must be offered daily, regardless of the nutritional attitude of children. At the same time the portions are adapted to their size, age and eating habits.
2.-The insane foods are not prohibited but they are not in sight either (nor they are allowed to eat them daily) it is explained to them why we prefer to take to the park a container with cherries to two chocolate milkshakes.
3.-They are not forced to eat, so that they do not develop a permanent rejection.
4.-We will show a Respectful behavior towards meal times: understand that food nourishes us and we need them, it is as important as preserving habits and norms that should never disappear (if we are all eating at the same time, nobody gets up until others finish, we don't watch television while we eat, etc. .)
5.-The children they may need up to 10 attempts according to some experts to offer them a certain food before they accept it.
Surely we gather all the friends of the same age as our son, we will discover that his diet is very different, and his appetite too. Even if all these children were being offered a varied and healthy diet, not everyone would eat the same amount.
But let's review our own expectations, do we have patience to put on the plate a vegetable that they do not usually accept? Do we know how to offer alternatives? (Well, if you don't like peaches, you don't have to eat them, but to have a snack you must choose between banana, pear or apricot), do we understand that children know when to stop eating because they don't feel like it anymore? Do not finish the dish and give them a chocolate bun to fill?
Are there tricks to eat everything?
Don't give in (in general) allowing kids to choose what to eatI believe that nutrition is not negotiable (at least it is not in my house). And that my children are those who peel a banana or wash grapes to snack, but to achieve this requires patience and persistence. It would not have been so if I had systematically yielded to let them buy treats when it is time to make one of the meals.
They enjoy more if they get involved helping to finalize the details of the meal or setting the table.
Do not let them eat between meals: the meals they need are five, not more. At the same time, if we are away from home, we will bring healthy food in case lunch or snack time catches us out.
Allow mealtime to be one opportunity for a meeting between parents and children, promoting dialogue and without letting conflicts emerge at such an important moment. And is that anxiety can reduce the appetite of children.
Our interventions will be kind and affectionate, but also firm. Do not punish a child for not wanting to finish the dish, or for rejecting hake with almonds that have cost us so much to prepare. However, healthy dishes will not be replaced by whims full of fats or additives.
Lead by example If the father or the mother eats a lot of fatty meat and few vegetables, we do not intend to convey a health message to the children, and above all we do not pretend that they themselves get to eat everything.
And now I'm going to make an exception to the point where I comment that we shouldn't give in allowing them to choose. This should normally be the case because we are the parents who plan purchases and meals, but as we said a few months ago, children usually accept better healthy eating when we allow them to participate.
And that would imply that let them plan (for example) one or several weekly meals, with the clear condition that they include in them healthy foods. We can also prepare the menu for seven days with the help of our children, to discover our criteria, and also to combine food from all groups.
From two years until puberty children continue to grow although at a slower rate than in the first years of life, and from the beginning of adolescence they grow back more rapidly. Perhaps this is the reason that many young children do not eat everything we 'wanted', that is, their growth continues even though it is slower
This is only an indication of the portions that the little ones may need, but in reality each person is a world, and each one is the one who must decide when they have had enough. And this is as relative as in practice there are many children of six, eight or ten years who actually grow very quickly.
Remember that food should be one of the pleasant moments of the day, and that cannot be punished or rewarded. And let me add that there are times when you should necessarily consult with the pediatrician, among them we can find the weight loss or the fact that the child changes mood and we can relate it to the fact that he is eating little. And of course when in doubt it is worth having the professionals, at least we will feel relieved.
