“My son does not eat anything” is a sad and daily statement of thousands of fathers and mothers who live with torture and despair the moment of feeding their children, creating a daily situation of authentic torment. And the truth is that this is a problem that creates real anguish in parents more often than you might think, first because they really think that children are not taking the nutrients they need to be healthy, and second, because living each day a war at the table is exhausting.
The vast majority of children who eat poorly are just that, children who do not eat too much or who like two things counted, but it does not mean that they do not eat. In the case of children who eat little, it is most likely that the organism of that child in question does not need more food , which should not be a cause for concern as long as what they eat is something balanced and meets the requirements of the nutritional pyramid. In any case, if the child eats too little, it is always important to consult all doubts with a pediatrician so that he can confirm whether there is a danger of slight malnutrition or not.
In the event that the child is perfectly healthy (we repeat: having been confirmed by the pediatrician), there is the possibility that a series of frequent attitudes are taking place that perhaps, without realizing it, you may be maintaining at home and that never benefit neither the children nor the parents themselves.
5 attitudes that can contribute to children eating little and badly
- Do you want to repeat, darling?
This phrase is also often repeated a lot, and comes from an ancient false belief generally inherited by mothers and grandmothers, that the more a child eats, the healthier he is. However, nothing could be further from the truth than this idea of supercharging.
Each child and its corresponding organism is a separate universe, and consequently, the needs related to food can also change from one child to another. It is as if you wanted your son to run as fast as the son of a friend of yours who does it very fast and very well. Making a child eat beyond his means will only create a feeling of rejection when sitting at the table, initiating a vicious cycle that will make him defensive and defensive every time he has to face a plate. nervous.
- I do it for your own good
If your desire is that the moment of eating is not only not something problematic, but also that it is a pleasant and happy moment, it is in your power to achieve it. You have to give your son a vote of confidence, respect him and ensure that he also ends up perceiving it that way. If the child says things like enough or I don’t want more , don’t insist on him taking the last spoonful and even less on finishing the entire plate. Imagine that you were forced to eat more than you want at any given time … because most likely, after that feeling, you no longer wanted to try that same food or another similar one for a long time.
- Look, the plane is coming!
Although these types of phrases are a resource used for generations, the truth is that it is not a good resource, since it involves fooling the little ones who still do not understand jokes or tactics too well. Also, if they understand the mechanics of the resource, we will only get them to think that, if we need to cheat, it is because the food is bad or it is not really good. Why should you make up something that is good and good in itself?
It is also not a good idea to make him eat a plate by distracting him with the television, or with a spoonful of yogurt over another spoonful of puree, or running after him around the house … With these attitudes you will not be advancing to achieve your true goal: that the child eats better tomorrow, without help and without problems.
- Get nervous and spread it
If your nerves can get you when your child eats badly, it is better to feed him someone else. If your child perceives stress and anguish, he will associate the moment of eating as something negative, he will get nervous and the dreaded tantrums and negatives will come. If the child says “I don’t want any more” remove the plate without fuss and, of course, without offering him another food that you know he likes better.
This does not mean that you have to force him to eat something that he really does not like. They, just like you, have their own palate and there are flavors that they will dislike no matter how hard you try . If you know that beans make him sick, try replacing them with another vegetable, and if there is no way for him to eat whole vegetables, give them purees, put them in meat sauces or substitute fruit for a while. The time will come to enjoy a stew or something similar when he gets older, which is likely to never happen if he has been forced in childhood to eat it against his will or causing him to retch.
- Eat because Santa Claus (or the Three Kings) is watching you
Food is not a means to achieve other things, food is a necessity, not a reward or punishment. If your child takes something that he does not want because he knows that later there is a reward or not, he will be establishing the values of nutrition on wrong beliefs. This can lead the little ones to have problems in the future with their diet, both by default and by excess.
Taking into account these frequent everyday situations can make us reflect on what really happens at home. Don’t get too obsessed or become a sergeant. If your child is happy and continues to run and play normally, it is likely that he is not having serious problems with his eating. Don’t forget that finishing a huge plate can be pleasant for an adult, but it doesn’t have to be for a child and it won’t make them feel better. When your body needs it, and always making sure that the food at home is as balanced as possible, you will eat, as it is the gasoline you need to move your body and enjoy yourself.
