Is Giving Your Toddler Juice a Good Idea

We all know that juice usually contains healthy things like Vitamin C and Vitamin A. However did you also know that whether it is natural or not, canned or fresh squeezed, frozen or eaten in a Popsicle that it contains a lot of sugar.

Sugar just isn’t good for babies, toddlers and kids in general. Toddlers tend to be quite hyperactive is, especially if they are about to reach that age known as “The Terrible Twos.” The sugar pumps the kid up and they can become far too energetic and excitable. This is then followed by a crash. You end up with a very cranky toddler who is going to pester you for more juice so they can feel that “sugar high” again.

To establish healthy eating patterns and avoid addicting your child to sugar you need to limit their intake of juice. Never give a toddler more than four ounces a day.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that parents need to know the difference between 100% fruit juice and beverages and cocktails that contain only a bit of juice a lot of sugar. These drinks can be just as bad as giving your baby a glass of cola.

You should also avoid giving babies and toddlers fruit juice before bedtime as it can rot their teeth. Drinking too much juice can also lead to poor nutrition, gas, tummy pain, bloating and diarrhea.

Once a baby becomes a toddler he or she may suddenly display symptoms of thirst. Most babies don’t feel thirsty until afar the age of one. Make sure your child is hydrated by giving him or her water throughout the day. According to the Institute of Medicine a kid between the ages of one and three needs about 1.3 liters of water a day. You can sweeten the water with a touch of juice to flavor it and also avoid the child from taking so much sugar that they experience a terrible “sugar crash.”

A fresh lemon or orange squeezed into a glass of water with a pinch of sugar or salt is good for quenching thirst. Coconut water is also a healthy option.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also does not advise parents to give kids juice before the age of six months old. A baby this young does not need a lot of water or fluids that are not breast milk. This is because breast milk contains everything that your baby needs to receive full nutrition.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , ,

How to Get Your Toddler to Eat Healthy Foods

If you can get your toddler to look forward to meals and sit still and eat then that is half the battle towards establishing healthy eating patterns in the child for the future. Most toddlers are very messy and distractible so this is always a big challenge. Be sure to invest in a good bib, a high chair that is easy to clean and a floor mat. It is also advisable not to wear your best clothes while feeding toddlers. They have been known to throw things!

Toddlers should also not be forced to eat. This makes them think that eating is all about control. Instead be gentle, friendly and offer the toddler food. Let him or her make the decision about what is going to go in the mouth.

It is okay to encourage your baby to play with his or her food. You can cut the food up so that it is attractive and looks like sticks, trees or other fun shapes. You can even get little plastic cookie cutters for making shapes out of soft foods. Making little landscapes or faces out of foods by arranging them in certain ways on the plate is also appealing to them.

You should also not use food as a bargaining chip to get dessert or play time. Food should never be used as a punishment or a road. This can lead to eating too much or disorders like bulimia and anorexia later in life.

Never shame your child at mealtimes. You never want your baby to associate meal time with stress. This could make the baby avoid eating. He or she could end up being overweight or have emotional issues around food.

Be sure to keep your mealtimes twenty minutes or shorter. Do not try to keep a toddler who will not stay in a chair there. They simply will have an ego struggle with you. They do not have the attention span to learn real discipline at this age.

You should also resign yourself to the fact that a toddler's appetite will simply not be the same very day. They also do things like binge on one food, like bananas, for days on end and then refuse to eat anything. Do not worry. Your toddler is probably not going to be malnourished unless it goes on for weeks on end. It is normal for them to be temperamental eaters.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , ,