How can I get my child to eat

That our child does not want to eat is one of the biggest concerns that parents face during the growth of our children. When children reach the age of 2 years, it is normal that they become too selective at mealtime. What used to be delicious today is simply "yucky".

Parents should not be so concerned about this period. Most children consume what is necessary for their growth. But if you still feel concerned about this issue, here I will share with you short methods to motivate your child to eat.

1. Reward your child when he decides to eat something healthy. In one study (Cooke et al., 2011), when children received a reward after trying a vegetable, consumption of this vegetable increased six times and persisted for approximately 3 months even when they no longer received rewards. Examples of rewards could be stickers, paper flowers or small paper figures, such as Origami.
2. Show your children photos of children of the same age eating healthy food. Children tend to imitate models.
3. Teach your children about nutrition emphasizing the properties of food and the functions of these in our body. In one study (Gripshover & Markman, 2013), preschool children who were taught these concepts ate twice as many vegetables as other children.
4. Always offer your children new food in small quantities and never force your children to eat; continue offering the same new food until it becomes familiar to him.

If you follow these four easy tips, surely those headaches associated with poor nutrition in your children will begin to disappear.



References:

Kail, R. V. & Cavanaugh, J. C. (2016). Human development: A lifespan view, Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.