Children are creatures of habit and mimic what they see around them.
So when you see your child doing something you are not happy. You should first look at yourself before you say anything. They had to learn this habit from somebody and parents have the biggest influence on the child’s habits. So you could be the cause of your own problem not the solution.
There is a Jesuit saying that says
“Give me the child for the first seven years and I will return you the man”
Simple that means that all the subconscious programs that a person has are developed within the first seven years.
The same goes for their habits towards foods.
How many times have you heard “my child will only eat sausages and beans”.
Really? Well why do you think that is? As the parent you are the ones doing the shopping and the cooking and putting the food up on the dinner table.
You are in complete control
You buy the food that comes into the house and the foods that the child is exposed to.
Maybe you need to examine your own eating habit and see exactly how you eat. As well as your emotional connection with food. This may explain why your child is eating the way he or she is.
You may have unintentionally said things that your child has picked up on and remembered. Things like “I don’t like veggies” or “fish fingers are the nicest food”.
It is simple things that you say that can have profound effects on your children’s habits.
This is because children are constantly looking for appraisal and your love. They will do anything to get it.
If you say you love this food or that food you child will want to be just like you. They too will set in place a program where the only food they will eat is the one you said you love and say is the best. This way they can be just like you and how then could you not love them.
Two choices for each meal
Growing up we always had two choices for each meal.
We either ate what we were given or else we went hungry. That was because everything that was put up in front of us was good healthy nutritious food and there was no reason why we should not eat it.
Today life is such a rush because of the society we live in. Also in many cases both parent are working so when they get home they are tired and don’t want to prepare a full healthy meal. Quick and easy options become the order of the day.
These foods ruin the taste buds of the children. When you do eventually want them to eat real healthy foods it will be alien to the children’s taste buds and they will not eat it because it will taste horrible to them.
So the next time you want to give out to your child. Either because they never eats their veggies or is such a fussy eater start by looking inward at yourself first.