It is important to know then that the nutritional needs of each individual, whatever their age, are different, and therefore their intake should be as well. Regarding this, we must also consider that boys and girls are not all equally active, so they should not eat the same thing. Each infant is unique in their way of eating, which is why you should never compare what your child eats with what others eat.
Food professionals and specialists agree that the child should not be forced to eat. Like all human beings, they also realize when they have to eat and when it is necessary to stop. Neverthelessif we are constantly pressuring them to finish the plate, they will not pay attention to their body, but to the imposition that we adults manifest.
In relation to the above, it is important that we bear in mind that infants are, precisely, infants. They are smaller than us and therefore their diet will be different from that of adults. Especially when they are younger, their stomachs are smaller than ours, so we cannot expect their food portions to be the same size as the one served by their parents.
Therefore, we must consider that forcing a child to finish the food we serve on his plate is forcing him to eat more than he needs. As parents we must listen to them and respect their decisions at mealtime and in relation to it.
This is how, at the time of eating, imposing actions on infants can generate an adverse impact and affect the child’s way of relating and socializing. Eating habits are established during childhood, forcing them to eat generates inappropriate habits that will be transferred to the future, limiting their autonomy.
What we should avoid then is:
- Threatening the boy or girl to deprive him of an activity that he likes: this does not make the mealtime more tense, which should be harmonious.
- Making him feel bad, and pressuring him to eat: This derives in large part from the above.
Now, the question that arises from the above is:
THEN WHAT CAN WE PARENTS AND/OR ADULTS DO FOR CHILDREN TO EAT?
First of all, the most important thing is to give them time, since each person eats in their own way and at their own pace, and children are no exception to this. Respecting your time for each meal will make you feel calmer and more relaxed when eating.
Always try to be able to offer them new foods and incorporate them little by little. Children must assimilate this process and get used to these new foods. If we offer them many new ingredients in the same meal, it will be more difficult for them to assimilate. They will do better if we suggest them little by little, and without forcing them to eat something if they do not accept it at first.
Remember that mealtime should be exclusively for that, it is not the time for screens. It is preferable to avoid television and all kinds of technology such as tablets and cell phones, thus achieving that the only goal is food.
Being able to eat as a family, this is very important given that if we manage to get them to acquire the habit of eating while others do, we are incorporating them to the table at the times in which we usually eat as adults, which will improve their relationship with the environment and with food.
To conclude, an infant who is forced to eat does not enjoy food, and this moment becomes tedious for him, since they are the only ones who know how much they want to eat. Forcing an infant to finish the food we serve on his plate is forcing him to eat more than he needs, which is a big mistake of fathers, mothers and adults, which we must correct.
Specialist in childhood obesity (@serfarinelli)
Source: Ambito
