All parents are madly worried about the health of their children, and one of its main components is the proper nutrition of the child. It will depend on how correctly the baby's food preferences are formed, which foods will prevail in his diet in adulthood.
Sometimes it is quite difficult to convince a child to eat healthy food, because it seems tasteless to him, unlike various sweets and snacks. Estet-portal will talk about how it is possible to avoid mistakes in education and guide the child on the right path in choosing food so that in the future he will not face various health problems.
Experience what you eat
Children learn to eat by looking at us. They read the feelings written on the faces of their parents. And if during lunch we feel discomfort, anxiety, guilt, our baby will be wary of the dish offered to him. Therefore, it is very important to sit down at the table in a good mood and enjoy the food – only in this way we will form a positive attitude of the child to food.
Things to consider: Do you enjoy what you eat? What emotions do you experience from food?
Eat with your child
Of course you can't eat together all the time. However, you should definitely do it at least once a day – After all, eating habits are formed only in practice. Our children learn not only from us, but also from everyone with whom they are at the same table. Not only an example of how to behave can be useful, but also an example of incorrect behavior – this will allow you to explain to the baby other people's mistakes and teach from someone else's experience. Even if the child is very small, seat him in a high chair next to the common table. After all, a joint meal – it is not only the saturation of the body with nutrients, but also communication.
It is worth considering: is there a tradition in your family to get together at the table
Teach your child how to taste
Seeing how you enjoy the shades of taste, the child gradually learns the art of tasting. Reward this important skill in a playful way: “Do you like chicken? Ginger gives this spice to the sauce. Do you feel? And how are you?”. New tastes expand your baby's capacity for perception, which enriches your baby's personality and influences your baby's nutrition. from one new dish to another: the basis of the baby’s nutrition should be the foods he is used to. The thing is that the body monitors the effect of a particular product on the body and, depending on the momentary specific need for nutrients, sends us a signal: now I want buckwheat porridge, not mashed potatoes.
It's worth considering: Do you savor each bite, feeling all the shades of its taste, before swallowing? Do you discuss feelings at the table? What are your family's favorite dishes?
Teach your child to respect his wishes and the community of the family
With the help of the desire to eat this or that dish, our body regulates the intake of the substances necessary at the moment, and this need is individual for each family member. However, if each person at the table has different dishes, this dinner is unlikely to emotionally unite the whole family. In this menu, you need to discuss with the baby in advance, agreeing with him about what will be for lunch today. “Listen, grandfather caught fish – let's bake carps for lunch today, it will be very tasty. And cutlets that you want – we'll cook for dinner, okay?”
It is worth considering: Is it customary in our family to discuss desires with each other? Who is in charge of the menu? How does it happen?
Tell your child about the food you eat.
Tell your child about the food you are trying. Let him know what kind of mashed potatoes your grandmother cooked for you when you were just as small. She used heavy cream, which was obtained from the milk of the Zorka cow. Grandmother certainly decorated the dish with peas – it's delicious and fun. The history of dishes can turn your child's meal into an amazing & nbsp; adventure and allow him to fully experience what he – part of the family, join the unique family traditions.
It's worth considering: When and how did I first get acquainted with this dish, how do I know its recipe? How do I feel about his story? What food traditions do my family have?
Don't give your child conditions and ultimatums
From the phrase “finish your soup – get some sweets!” The child can only draw one conclusion. Delicious – this is an optional extra bonus, and the main meal should not be enjoyable. Therefore, whenever possible, the baby will seek to eat chocolate cake and ice cream. The only way not to give excessive importance to the sweet – leave desserts on a par with other dishes – salads, soups and hot dishes. But what if the child asks for a chocolate bar or a cake?
Ask first if he is hungry. And if not – most likely, he lacks attention and warmth, because sweet and fatty foods have a calming effect. Never teach your child to eat instead of talking. Let him tell you about his anxieties, grievances, fears – try to talk to him frankly. Let him eat a chocolate cube and tell you why he wanted it so much. “Let me put you on my knees, and you will tell me in secret what is good in your life and what is not very good. And then – if you want – have some more chocolate”.
It's worth considering: Do I have forbidden foods that I eat negativity with? Can I tell you how I feel right now? What worries me and what worries me?
Teach your child to recognize feelings of hunger and fullness
The science of eating consists in being able to listen to your feelings, striving for a comfortable state of satiety and at the same time not being full. You need to be able to feel hunger from the desire to eat to muffle unpleasant emotions. We recognize hunger by a breakdown or "suction"; in the stomach, rumbling in the stomach. The hardest thing is to catch the right moment when to stop. Eating greens and vegetables, you need to monitor the fullness of the stomach. “Wow, you instantly ate one and a half portions – Perhaps you don't feel well? Heaviness in the stomach? I think you had a bad breakfast, so you could not resist and overate at lunch. Will you remember this tomorrow morning?”.
It is especially important to pay attention to high-calorie dishes: you need to eat very little to saturate them. Therefore, bread, chocolate, fatty cheese or pasta should be eaten slowly, little by little, carefully chewing each piece, slowly enjoying its texture, taste, and aroma of the dish. Noticing that with each new piece, as the need for it is met, & nbsp; the taste becomes less bright and desirable. That's when you should stop – until next time.
Things to think about: How do you feel hungry? Do you know how to stop in time or finish eating when you feel discomfort? Can you enjoy high-calorie foods?
In the process of raising a child, together with him we will re-learn the world. And with his eyes we can look again at things that seem familiar to us. Take advantage of this opportunity – raise a healthy baby by controlling the child's nutrition, and become healthier, more harmonious and happier yourself.
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