I am yet to meet a parent who thinks that his/her child eats enough through the day. A finicky eater coupled with troubled parents seems to be the ‘in thing’. So how do we ensure that our bacchas are getting their nutrients? Should we chop carrots and add those to instant noodles? Not quite. Here is how you can ensure your child has a nurturing relationship with his/her food:
- Your child should listen to the signals from his/her own stomach. Don’t fuss over how much your child is eating, since this will lead to loss of internal hunger cues. Allow your children to express when they feel hungry and then provide them with food.
- Children may not enjoy certain vegetables. Respect their choices instead of force-feeding.
- Don’t create an environment of reward and punishment with food. Chocolates when they do a good thing and sit-ups when they do a bad thing won’t work.
- Know that children copy your food habits. ‘Children never listen to their parents but seldom fail to imitate them,’ said an apt sign put up at my sister’s school canteen. If the only way you know to have fun is by overeating or eating while you watch TV, that’s exactly what they will do.
- Teach children to identify junk food and self-regulate—they should understand packaged food is junk which is okay to have just once a week.
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And, of course, know that a child will benefit from healthy, fit parents, with no fear of food and who enjoy their exercise.
(The author’s latest book is called Women and the Weight Loss Tamasha)
