Why Shouldn’t We Make Children Eat?
For a long time and even today, some parents have the habit of forcing children to eat all the food they are served on their plate. But is it correct to demand this from them? We should not force children to eat, as they themselves know when they need to eat or not.
Experts agree that children should not be forced to eat. Like all human beings, they also know when they need to eat and when they need to stop. However, if we are constantly pressuring them to finish the dish, they will not be listening to their own body, but to our impositions.
Julio Basulto, nutritionist and writer of several books, talks about it: “We shouldn’t insist that our children eat something they don’t want, more than they want or faster than they can.” If we insist, we will only get negative results.
On the other hand, it is important that we bear in mind that children are, precisely, children. They are smaller than us and that is why their diet is different from ours. Especially when they are younger. Their stomachs are smaller than ours, so we can’t expect their portions to be the same size as ours.
Consequences of forcing children to eat
We believe we are doing well by forcing children to eat something they don’t like or to finish the whole plate. But it’s not the truth.
Pushing the child can cause rejection of the food we are trying to get him to eat.
On the other hand, if the child continues to eat despite being satisfied, he will be consuming more food than he needs. When a child eats more than he needs , overweight problems can arise .
What are the usual behaviors we should avoid?
- Threatening the child to deprive him of some activity he enjoys.
- Make her feel bad.
- Telling lies.
- Press it.
- Terrify her.
- Psychologically mistreat her.
What can we do to make them eat?
- Give it time: each person eats in a way and at a pace. Even parents must have different rhythms to make their meals. It is important to understand this and not put pressure on the child. Respecting her time for each meal will make her feel more relaxed and comfortable when eating.
- Offer new foods little by little: children must assimilate and get used to each new food. If we offer them a lot of new ingredients in the same meal, it will be more difficult for them to assimilate. They will do it better if we suggest new dishes little by little, without forcing them to eat one if they don’t accept it in the first instance.
- Avoid distractions: eating time should be exclusively for that. It is better to avoid television and all kinds of toys. That way the kids will just focus on food.
- Eating with the family: It is important that they get into the habit of eating together with other family members. Putting it on the table at times when everyone usually eats will improve your relationship with the surroundings and with food. Remember that as they grow up, they want to feel included and be a part of everything their parents do.
- Set an example: if you want your child to eat something you should eat it too. If you try to feed the child something you are not willing to eat either, it will be difficult! You must show her that what you are trying to get her to eat is delicious and also appeals to her.
- Avoid making faces of intrigue or concern when giving a new food: it is best to make the experience as natural as possible. If not, the child will notice that something is not right and will be alarmed, increasing the probability of rejecting the food.
- Avoid sweets and other types of food before eating time: if we allow the child to eat things before lunch or dinner, they will be less willing to eat on time. If you offer something that is not very attractive to you, it will be easier to reject it, as you have already eaten before.
Remember that everyone has their time, and respecting the child’s time will help build a better relationship and provide the tools for them to have a healthier diet.
