Hafiy is quite a fussy eater. He used to not eating anything other than my breastmilk for almost 3 months (at his 18th month). And it was very challenging yet tricky to bring him to the dining table. He rather enjoy running around the house, until “Doesn’t he feel hungry?” came across my mind.
Among the rules of staying with in laws is to make sure your children are not crying and able to sleep soundly. Else, it would trigger speculations such as, ‘You don’t feed him right so he always cries and wakes up at night. He’s hungry”. And it’s catastrophic if the baby is really not eating well. The blame is on the mother for not feeding him, not the baby who doesn’t really like to eat LOL.
So to make sure Hafiy eats, I tried to make the dining time fun.
Kid’s food, he doesn’t like at all. Decorate? Naaaah.
Then I was thinking about things he likes to play with.
- I want A.. Mommy I want A!!!
Thanks to Heinz for producing this alphabet-pasta-shape. So everytime I want him to has his lunch or dinner I just have to cook the pasta, mix with little butter and cheese.
“Hafiy, do you want to eat A B C?”
“Naakkk!!!”
This one is soft and rather suitable for babies 7 months and up. To me as long as Hafiy loves it, it’s OK lah. Everyday eat this pun OK. Sometimes add meat, chicken, fish, etc. as long as the alphabets are still visible.
“Tengok ni ada K lah. Mari kita makaaaan K ini!”
Being a picky eater is normal for children under 6 years old. According to Dr. Paul, Young children tend to eat according to their own natural instincts about what, when and how much they need to eat. Their appetite usually adjusts itself to the amount and type of food that provides the energy and nutrients that they need to live and grow. And although parents tend to worry about their children’s eating habits, their children’s instincts are often correct. The fact that the child isn’t eating according to the parents’ expectations doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a problem.
However, there’s problem when the child refuses to eat at all, or like snacks too much without the real meal, or hate to try new food, or has no variety in his meals. As children need enough nutrients to grow and learn, they need to eat and eat variety of food so that their body get enough fertilizer.
Some tips to deal with the fussy eater:
- Don’t be emotional and aggressive. Handle with positive attitude.
- Make mealtime a funtime. Show them that we’re having fun eating, not struggling to finish the food.
- Provide all nutritious value in a child’s meal. Even if he doesn’t eat frequently, one meal must provide everything he needs.
- Ask their opinion. “Do you have any idea what should we eat for today’s dinner?”
- Serve his food in different ways.
- Make a game eating. Who eats more than a bowl will get a present. etc.
Alhamdulillah, now Hafiy has no more eating problem. Except he likes hot & spicy food too much. Hmmm…~
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