Contents:
- Medical Video: How To Cook Meals Kids Will Love
- Like picky food, it turns out parents can be lowered
- Tricks to face picky children
Medical Video: How To Cook Meals Kids Will Love
One of the things most often complained about by parents about the eating habits of your child is picky food. This is usually most common in children under the age of five (toddlers). Do you know why your little one is very picky about food? Don't tell me, because you used to be too. Hmm, how come, huh? Find the exact answer below.
Like picky food, it turns out parents can be lowered
The habit of fussy children when they are eating can make parents lose patience. Not infrequently, parents also often blame themselves when children have difficulty eating. Indeed, there is a factor in child care that can make it like to be picky about food. But according to a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, genetic factors also play a role in the habits of children who like to refuse food.
Andrea Smith, one of the experts in the study explained the results of their research involving more than 1,900 pairs of twins aged 16 months. This study looks at the eating habits of children who tend to choose foods based on the texture, taste, and smell of food offered (called food fuss). Their courage to try new foods was also tested by experts in this study.
Why does this study use twins? The goal is to help see the importance of genetic factors over other factors. Not only that, this study also examined how genetics and parenting patterns such as parental behavior play a role in the nature of picky children.
The study found that children who are fussy about food and are afraid of trying new foods (neophobia), especially those who are still in their early life, are strongly influenced by genetic factors.
In general, genetic or hereditary factors can affect the tendency of malnourished children by 46% in terms of food fussiness, and 58% in terms of food neophobia. So if you are including people who are picky about food and have difficulty trying new foods, then this tendency will decrease in your child.
However, this does not mean the price is dead. You can still teach your child to try new foods, even though it does take extra effort.Other factors that affect the little picky food are how parents handle children at mealtime. Including whether parents force their children to eat or not.
When children feel their eating time is unpleasant and tends to be tense, the possibility of fussing becomes greater every time the child is told to eat. Forcing children to eat can also worsen this tendency.
Tricks to face picky children
If you force your child to eat what has been served it will make it even more difficult to eat, then how do you get your child to eat? Because, if left alone, it is possible for the child's nutritional intake to be unbalanced. Calm down, here are various tricks to get around picky food.
- Parental eating habits will greatly affect the habits of children. If parents are reluctant to eat vegetables, it is only natural that the child mimics reluctant to eat vegetables. So, you also have to force yourself to eat vegetables in front of the children. Always serve the vegetable menu every meal so the child learns that he cannot avoid the food.
- Serve small meals.
- Serve food at a table that is affordable for children. If the child is in control, usually they will tend to be more interested.
- If you want to provide new food, do not immediately give up if the child immediately refuses. Explain in a fun way about the new food you served to the child 10-15 times.
- Give examples of pleasant meals. If children see other people eating similar foods, children will be more interested in trying.
- Parents must remain calm. Don't panic or get angry when children reject certain foods.
