How can I stay positive when my child is refusing foods?
Between lack of sleep, cleaning up, constant questions and tidying up toys, parenting is an exhausting task but add food refusal into the mix and it can be the one thing that tips us over the edge.
We all want our children to enjoy the food that we lovingly prepare for them but sometimes this just doesn’t happen and that lovingly prepared meal ends up in the bin. Help, now I am wasting food too!
I need you to stop for one minute and just reflect on these facts;
Most children go through a fussy (neophobic) stage at some point and it usually occurs at some point between 18mths and 4yrs old.
Children like a food one week and decide they don’t like it the next week. This is normal behaviour. Sometimes it isn’t the food at all, it is just how they are feeling in that moment or a way to get your attention that day.
Some (around 5-15%) children have sensory sensitivities which affect how they are experiencing their food. The food smells, textures and feel in the mouth might be more or less intense than the average person.
Staying relaxed and not reacting to food refusal helps your child to feel in control of what they are eating and feel happier to sit at the table for mealtimes
Teaching how to develop a healthy relationship with food now (even if some food is thrown away) reduces food waste in the future
If family mealtimes are stressful, do what you can to keep it simple and provide at least one food that everyone likes and understand that you can’t please everyone all of the time. Encourage teamwork so that the load is lighter and everyone feels involved in the mealtime experience. Children can help chop or mix foods, set the table or clear their plates from a young age. As long as it doesn’t need to be perfect they will learn to enjoy the responsibility.
And lastly, look after yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help and take time for yourself when you can.
