Are you your kid's slaves? Do you find yourself cooking several different meals for several finicky, picky kids who will not eat what is put in front of them?
Here are some clues as to how to get your kids to sit down and eat together. This is crucial as tiptoeing around several kids and cooking several 'made-to-order' meals in expensive and time-consuming.
You need to establish rules for a sit-down meal. . Turn the television off. Focus on conversation that includes everyone. Don't use dinner time to nag or punish your child for behaviors that aren’t related to mealtime. A kid that associates meals with getting punished ends up with eating disorders or worse – a lack of weight gain due to being too upset to eat.
Make it clear that at mealtime nobody leaves the table until you say so. He or she must stay seated and there must be decorum. No throwing of food, silverware, making funny faces or any of that.
You can reinforce good behavior at the table by complimenting your child whenever he or she does something right.
Finicky eaters might respond well to a time limit. Limit dinner to a half an hour. Make the kid eat everything during that time. If he or she does not finish by the end of the thirty minutes the plate is removed. This prevents the kid from dawdling while eating.
Don't let kids think that you are a short order cook. You can plan your menus in advance. Include your picky eater by letting him or her help plan the family menu, encouraging them to try something new. Children’s cookbooks are available to help with meal planning. Once you have created a menu, stick to your plan.
Denying a kid that won't eat dessert is far. Desserts or snacks should only be given if your kid finishes the previous meal.
Finally, make an attempt to make your children their favorite foods. This will encourage them to eat and also make them look forward to dinner. Encourage talk about food at dinner about why they like certain foods and not others. You can use dinner time to teach them about eating well, cooking and shopping.
Of course, not all picky eaters are control-freaks. If you suspect that a health problem is behind your child's picky eating then be sure to take him or her to a doctor for a check up.