The Do’s and Don’ts of Feeding Small Children

Many parents are concerned about the eating habits of their children. They are concerned whether little Coco is gaining enough weight or if little Zenaida is gaining too much weight. Some children are picky eaters while others will eat everything and anything.

Eating is about getting the right amount of food, and enjoying it too, because that is what a person will have to do for the rest of his/her life.

A lot of parents think that if their child is fat, then he/she is healthy. Parents find it “cute” to have a chubby child. Truth is it is as unhealthy as when your child is underweight. More often than not, weight is determined by your genes–if the parents are heavy-set, their children will most likely end up being heavy-set too. Well, they always take on the habit that you have set for them to follow.

If your child is too heavy or too underweight for his/her age, you can determine this by checking your pediatrician’s weight chart. Here are some do’s and don’ts that parents should consider when feeding their children:

1. Do a lot of research. If you are a new parent, you should really know that breastfeeding is the best formula that a baby can have. Research already showed that the longer you breastfed your child, the better his/her development will be.

2.  Do eat together as a family. When you eat together with your family, you can watch what your child has been eating, and you can also model healthful eating to your child. Children always imitate their parents, so if you show that you’ve been eating the right kinds of food, they will also do what you do.

3. Don’t eat in front of the TV. A lot of families nowadays eat their meals in front of the TV or eat at separate times. When you eat in front of the TV, you are distracted.

4. Don’t stock up on junk foods and soft drinks. If you love eating junk foods, and drinking soda anytime you like, it’s about time to give up on that, especially if you have little children in the house. It gives the children the idea that if it’s all right for you to have some, they can have some too.

5. Do promote snacking. Fruits, cereals, yogurts, sandwiches or rice cakes are good snacks for children at any time of the day. You won’t have to worry about your children eating junk foods if you exposed them to this kind of healthy snacking. Healthy snacks such as these will help the children meet their energy needs for the day.

6. Do have breakfast. A lot of children don’t like eating breakfast anymore, because they wake up too late and barely have any more time left to get ready for school. A lot of working parents don’t eat breakfast anymore, so their children learn to pick up the habit too. Having a good healthy breakfast is the best way for children to start the day. It helps young children with mind and body development.

7. Do include your children in the menu planning. Children think that it’s fun to be in the kitchen. They always want to do grown-up stuff.  If you include your children in the menu planning, not only will they learn healthy food planning, you will also set a good example for your child.

8. Do eat at family restaurants or diners, instead of fast food restaurants.  Fast food has a certain appeal that even adults find hard to ignore. When you eat out, avoid fast food restaurants as much as you can. Encourage your children to eat fish, soups, salads and vegetables and avoid having burgers, fries, and desserts all the time.

9. Do ask your children about what they want. But children also have feelings that you have to take into consideration. If you pushed what you wanted your child to eat, he might not want to eat it even more.

10. Don’t provide too many fatty and salty foods.  Avoiding fattening foods will help your child learn to not like them too much. Too much fat not only leads to obesity, but it can also lead to major heart diseases. Too much salty can lead to a stroke.

Those are just some things that you can and can’t do that can help you with feeding your child the right way. It can get difficult for a parent to feed his/her child the right kind of food especially when they are competing with food advertising. Oftentimes, children push their parents into buying these items for them. It’s very important that parents know when to say yes and when to say no.

Remember, children will follow the examples set by you, the parent.  Weight is mainly established by our genetic make-up. But we can help our children by setting healthy eating habits. However, the more you make eating an “issue”, the more of a problem your child will have when it comes to eating. Relax, enjoy, and most importantly, set a good example.

The writers Corazon Canete, MD, & James H. Solomon, II, PhD, the owners of RealTalk a mental health, counseling, and training company in Cebu can be contacted at [email protected] or 233.2152.