Some children are made of dreams and zen – they begged their mums to make them blanched broccoli and their favourite go-to meal is garlic stir-fry with ten-grain rice. While some are most content if they get plain white bread or just a drizzle of the sauce from your rich pot of garden and meat stew on their equally white rice.
I know because I am the mum of two girls made of dreams and a boy made of simple carbs. Yes, my parental life has been… pretty interesting, to say the least.
When my two older girls came along, everyone I know around me kept cooing about how “lucky” I was to have such easy-going babies to care for. As they are my firsts, obviously I have no prior experiences with minding young children to compare with. But I was not complaining! Everything I prepared was a resounding “yummy, mummy!”
No matter how I switch up their milk brands, they would take it like a champ. They fed well, too, even up till now – 9 and 10 years of age respectively – there is always a “thank you, mummy! I enjoy the food you serve very much!” after every meal or snack, even if it is store-bought.
And Then There Was A Particular Child…
Along came a boisterous little boy who will be turning 6 this December; my idea of “easy motherhood” went through a major revamp soon after his arrival.
My son would not take bottle when he was a wee baby, vegetables are out to kill him, will have fruits only when he feels like it, and with him, cooking skill is not needed because I only need to offer rice or noodles with some sauce (any sauce as long as no unsightly veges, preferably brown or red).
I vividly remember when he was about 6 months old, I had offered him a small bowl of steamed broccoli florets (that would be a first for him!).
Without even trying the green “stuff”, he proceeded to pick out every single piece of tiny floret and threw them on the floor. Since then, he has gone on to picking out every tiny piece of non-meat edibles from every meal, even the littlest piece of cooked, translucent, you-can-hardly-see-it onion! Talk about stress!
Feeding A Picky Eater
It is an age-old question – why are some children so picky about their food? Well, turns out, there are a bucket load of reasons.
It could be the child’s personality, taste preferences, social influences, or simply just a case of parent-child power struggle. The spectrum of reasons is as wide as one end of the rainbow to the other.
Whatever the reason that causes them to pick and choose their food, know that it is common among young children as they grow into their own identity; and the best way to help is for parents to remain as calm as possible the next time they decline the food you offer (I know, easier said than done; but try we must!).
Now, while picky eating is rather common among children, extreme cases can cause short- and long-term nutrient deficiencies and other health problems.
It is thus important to cultivate in children a healthy relationship with food as early as possible; failing means children may develop weight problems and possibly eating disorders of varying levels later in life.
If you are noticing a trend of fussy eating in your child, do seek professional advice from paediatrician to identify the root of the problems as early as possible and hopefully, to nip them in the bud before they grow into a more serious problem as he or she grows.
Maintaining A Healthy Relationship
To help our children develop a healthy relationship with their food, it goes beyond nagging them and forcing food down their throat.
A lot of times, our enemy is not actually that piece of cabbage – instead, it is an invisible tug of war to win control that keeps both parents and the child highly tensed whenever mealtime rolls around.
Parents assume that they are in control of their children – what they eat, what they wear, what they do, etc. – but they do not realise that their children, however young they are, innately want to be able to control their choices, too – and in this instance, the food they consume, or not.
As a parent, I can relate to the pressure of needing to feed my children well without sacrificing on the nutrients department, as such, I unknowingly transfer that pressure down to my children whenever food is served as they sense my need for them to finish their food. Inevitably, the power struggle begins.
So now then the burning question is, how to diffuse the struggle? Here are some ways we can try.
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Calculated Options
Give your child the liberty to choose what they want to eat from options that you have set out for him. If you do not want him to be eating crackers and cheese, do not keep those on the table.
Instead, try serving celery, nut butter, and apple slices for example. So even if all your child eats is the apple and nut butter, well congratulations, you still got him eating 2 out of 3 things you deem nutritious and delicious!
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Manage Expectations
Just because green peas are good for you, that does not mean you should serve up a bowl for your child and expect him to finish them in one sitting, it can get really overwhelming for a little person.
Try offering maybe just 2 peas, 3 sauced up bowtie pasta or half a wedge of orange – one type of food at a time. You may offer the same food over and over again until the child is used to seeing it.
And while we are at it, do not forget to encourage the little one to try it – “just a small piece, one bite and you are done. Then, you let me know how you like the orange, OK?” As your child’s acceptance level of the food increased, you may also increase the portion. Repeat cycle.
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No Shockers
Introduce a new food together with a food your child loves. If he is big on toasts with butter, you could introduce him to a small spread of homemade marmalade, for example, and encourage him to just take one bite and then decide if he wants a second.
Urge him to use words to describe how he feels about the new tastes you are introducing. Avoid giving them a plate of food that they have never tried nor seen before and expect them to finish it, “or else”.
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NO Separate Meals
One dining rule in my house is, what mummy cooks, everyone eats. I most certainly will not prepare a separate meal for my picky-eating child just because he does not like his food.
If he does not like what is being served, he has the option of a cup of warm water and be well on his way to bed. In the beginning, he would wake up hungry, but he quickly learned to “negotiate” the portion he thinks he can stomach with me and eat it, instead of being sent to bed hungry.
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Always Supplement
While I allow my son to skip his vegetables during mealtime, I do find ways to bring in the goodness of vegetables in his meals. I love cooking thick soup and blend everything to a mush – to be eaten over pastas and rice, works like a charm!
If your child does not enjoy eating fruits, then juice them to make a yummy smoothie (you can even add extra secret ingredients like spinach and lemon into it and no one will notice!).
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Milk Up!
The Malaysian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents recommends children take 2 to 3 servings of milk and milk products to complement their daily diet, so mums can supplement their children’s nutritional requirement with growing-up milk, too.
Sustagen® is formulated with DHA, which is found in abundance in the brain; DHA contains important nutrients found in food groups from the Food Pyramid*, such as:
- Vitamin B1, B2, Niacin
- Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium
- Protein, DHA, Folic Acid, and Zinc
It** contains key nutrients, such as protein, calcium, folic acid, zinc, iron, Vitamin A, B2, C, and E that meet at least 80% of Malaysia Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI); these essential nutrients are crucial in supporting a child’s optimum growth and development.
That is not all, Sustagen® also contains fiber (inulin), which helps increase intestinal bifidobacteria to help maintain a good intestinal environment.
*The food pyramid is well recognised as a dietary guideline by health authorities.
**Based on Sustagen® Junior 1+ Original.
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