Baby Steps
A Step by Step Conversation about Your Child's Development

Clean Your Plate

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Thursday, July 08, 2010
by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford

It's times like these I love www.planningfamily.com/. I need answers and I need them now. You see, feeding my infant was oh so easy (don't get me wrong, breastfeeding, pumping, etc. IS work), but it seemed easier knowing that she was getting the nutrition she needed. Good nutrition = optimal development. With bottles, I could track ounces consumed. Nursing, well, I knew she was getting the valuable nutrients she needed.

Fast forward to our dinner table these days and I am not so sure. Now, she has an opinion. She definitely has preferences and is not afraid to express them. She's not much of a meat eater (I can't blame her, I haven't touched red meat or pork since I was preggo).  Is she getting enough protein? Of course, she loves fruits, but veggies? Depends on the day. Now, she has discovered juice. "Milk or water?," I ask. "Juice," she responds. Oh the fun of doing battle with the "honest" child.

So, what about nutrition for toddlers? Oh, yes, www.planningfamily.com/toddler/nutrition-and-feeding/ to the rescue!

At this point, I know she's not going to waste away. The question becomes when to say "okay" to her being finished vs. trying for just a few more bites.

I remember those days of sitting at my dinner table as a kid (definitely a few years older than my kiddo) and stewing as I was made to finish my milk (which, by this point was warm and often littered with morsels of food I was trying to avoid). I don't want to go down that road again.

What's your philosophy when it comes to eating? Is your child cleaning their plate?

Signing off for now...I have some reading to do!

www.planningfamily.com/toddler/nutrition-and-feeding/guide-to-toddler-nutrition/

 

 

Comments

Sunday, July 25, 2010 - Dana

I have 4 year old that refuses to eat some days. I ask him what he wants and his automatic response to my questions is "nothing". And now with a newborn in the house, I don't have the patience or time to reason with him. If he doesn't want to eat, then he will be hungry later on. The bad part is that now he snacks on crackers and chips when the hunger does strike him and if he doesn't eat his dinner he's crying for food at 11 o'clock at night! Depending on the day, and my tolerance level, I will give in and let him have something to eat that late at night (something healthy!) but he goes straght to bed afterwards and there are no other rewards. Bottom line, as a mother of 3 kids under 5, I have learned to be extremely flexible whether I want to be or not.

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