Children often have difficulty or do not want to eat although the parents have prepared the best food.
This can be overcome by a variety of efforts, including:
1. Small portion
Provide food in moderation (not too much at once) because they would be proud if they are successful in spending the food.
2. Give praise
When children are able to spend a portion of their food, give praise to make them happy.
3. Let the children take their own portion
Give freedom to the children to take their own food, because they will feel respected and responsible for spending the food.
4. Give food when hungry
When you want to serve a new type of food that has not been known to the children, it should be given when they are hungry.
5. Avoid guilty
If a child breaks tableware, do not be upset. Because of that, use plastic equipment.
6. Serve only the best food
Give calorie-dense foods such as meat, fish, peanut butter, cheese, bananas, and nuts.
7. Create a pleasant dining atmosphere
Give the children’s food while playing or whatever that it pleases. Avoid forcing bribery.
8. Reduce the distracting thing
Television often distracts children at mealtimes although they are not really watching.
9. Allow the children to eat slowly
Toddlers usually eat very slowly to complete the task of eating. For that reason, you should let them to eat by their own way. Take time to be with them.
10. Change the atmosphere
To make the children not to get bored, change the atmosphere of eating, for example, for children who usually eat on their table, it can be varied by eating in the terrace.
11. Let the children choose their own food
Give alternative foods that can be chosen, maybe taking the children to consume food that is eaten by other family members, but do not ever force them.
12. Be smart
In order for the child's need of nutrients can be met, the parents must be smart in providing food menu especially for toddlers. The original vegetables and fruits are sometimes unpopular for them. So, you can serve it in the form of mixture foods or dishes, such as juice or pounded vegetable.
13. Follow the children’s will
Generally, children refuse food mixture in a plate, such as rice, vegetables and side dishes together. Follow the child's will to serve variety of foods separately.
14. Do not force to eat neatly
Children prefer to eat in their own way, sometimes it is messy. So, we need tolerance not to force a child to eat neatly because by this way the child will spend more food.
15. Want to receive ‘no’ answer
If the child says "it is full" and he do not want to eat, do not force him even if only "a bribe again".
16. Be patient
Child's appetite quickly changes, the favorite food yesterday, it could have been avoided today. So, parents’ patience is much needed.
