Eating like a toddler
It's true that toddlers have great interest in new foods and flavours. That does not mean, however, that they have the same interest in eating the bounty laid before them. Their growth pattern changes in the second year, and a child may gain considerably more in height than in weight. As long as you continue to offer your child regular, nutritious meals, don't be alarmed by an inconsistent appetite. Remember it's growth that fuels the child's appetite, not the reverse. Parents who want to avoid problems feeding their independent-minded toddles should memorize "The golden rules of feeding."
The golden rules of feeding
Parents and caregivers are responsible for serving a variety of nutritious foods at an appropriate time and place.
- You schedule regular meals and snacks: usually three meals and three snacks each day.
- You shop for and prepare meals using a variety of foods from Canada's Food Guide.
- You provide a pleasant, engaging environment for those meals. You do not, for example, serve dinner in the back seat of the family van three nights a week.
- You present the food in a form that is manageable for your child. A toddler needs food that is cubed, diced, mashed, or puréed.
- You give your child the utensils she needs to eat independently. A toddler needs a highchair or booster seat, a child-size spoon or fork, and a lidded cup with spout, a "teacher beaker."
- You establish and enforce appropriate table manners; "cleaning the plate" does not constitute good manners.
Children are responsible for how much and even whether they eat.
- I can choose to eat or not to eat the meal that is served to me.
- I can eat as much or as little as I like of the meal that is served to me.
And/or a toddler, the golden rule additionally means:
- I can eat my food in any order or combination.
- I can feed myself by any method.
