How to Make your Child Eat Food.

“No, I won’t……I won’t EAT……” is the dialogue almost every mother hear from her little children. As though, it has become their habit. As if they never have the appetite.

IF YOU ARE ONE OF THEM, you may be endlessly anxious for your child, thinking “Is my child sick? How on earth would I feed my beloved child?”

BUT THE SPECIALISTS THINK THE OTHER WAY. They say that distaste to food in children does not always mean the child is sick. In most cases children show distaste towards food due to food menu not liked, served the same menu again and again, presentation of the meal not attractive and like.

SOMETIMES, PARENTS BECOME TOO ANXIOUS and create over pressure on their children to feed their meal. As a result the food itself becomes something disgusting to them. And this is the situation you are to actually worry about.

TO UNDERSTAND IF YOUR CHILD REQUIRES MORE FOOD, measure his weight. If his/her age and weight are proportionate, there is nothing to worry. And if his/her weight is less than the prescribed weight in accordance to his/her age, the child needs to be fed more. Also may require visiting a doctor.


SO, YOU ARE THINKING WHAT TO DO? In fact, try to find out the reason - why your child does not eat? Find out his/her taste – what he/she likes to eat? And be innovative and tactful in food preparation, presentation and serving. This will bring back their appetite.


HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR YOU :

•    Try to take family meal altogether, that is every member of the family in a single sitting. Let your children have seat with all the family members at the meal time. Make it a habit for them; this will teach them to take meal in time.

•    If same type food is given to your children, they will become bored and grow distaste to food. So make variation to their meal. If one type of food is not liked by them, try another.

•    Feed your child according to his taste and time. Never create pressure on him to take food; he or she will become afraid of food. Rather, you may try to feed him keeping him busy on toys, cartoon or storytelling etc.

•    Sometimes children don’t like to take rice, so at times prepare vegetable hotchpotch (sabji-khichuri) and feed them.

•    Do not give Milk before going to bed. This will make them feel full-stomach and will not want to eat after wake.

•    Too much Fast-food, Chips, Chocolate, Ice Cream destroys hunger and appetite for normal food. Keep them away.

•    Measure weight every two months.

•    Make a meal time routine for your child. Instead of giving food now and then, wait for the meal time.

•    Cook your adult meals with less hot and serve your children. They will grow habit of taking meal like other adult family members.

•    Sometimes children don’t like to eat at home, but takes meal at school Tiffin seeing other children eat.

•    You may ask them what they would like to eat.

•    Decorate food on plate. They will become interested to take them.