How To Be Successful with Picky Eater Kids

Having picky eater kids is very stressful for parents and especially for a mommy.

Here I am sharing confessions from some mommies on their kid’s fussy eating habits and how they successfully transformed their little picky eaters into happy ones.

What does a mom want?

We all know Good and healthy food is essential for the growth and development of a child. Therefore we all mommies run around the clock and make sure our kid eats well and stays healthy.

Moreover, a hungry child is always cranky. Therefore we ensure they take complete meals at the proper time to stay happy and playful.

The ultimate goal of all mommies to achieve is giving kids a balanced diet which contains all the nutrients in the right amount for the proper functioning of the body. 

What mostly happens with Picky Eater Kids?

A light discussion with fellow mommies and their confession about their picky eaters.

Confession of Mom 1

My 4-year-old can eat on his own. He knows the rule. As soon as he finishes his food and shows me an empty plate, he wins the bowl of the healthy dessert.

He has a sweet tooth so, it works well with me. I know many moms reading my confession are wondering how sorted my kid is. Yes, I also use to think the same, and believe I was so proud. Until one day, I secretly saw my kid emptying his plate back on the serving bowl.

Confession of Mom 2

One day I saw a trail of ants under the couch in the bedroom. On investigating, I found my 3-year-old have been dumping his left-over food there.

Confession of Mom 3 (My Confession)

I use to keep one puri, 3-4 pieces of seasonal fruits, and some dry fruits in my five years old school tiffin. I used to give him either a boiled egg or paratha for breakfast. So never bothered much about giving him more variety in his tiffin as the duration of his school was also less.

Moreover, why should I be bothersome?

I was in fact elated to see his tiffin. As he never had any left-over food in his tiffin. With little effort, I could make my child finish the whole tiffin daily.

Although on weekends he used to trouble me a lot while eating. He uses to finish his breakfast only with little or no snack in between breakfast and lunch. As per my calculation, he uses to eat less during weekends. As for the working days, he uses to eat both breakfast and snacks.

I felt so lucky. I use to think I was the happiest mom in the world. Until one day, his teacher called me up and asked me to meet her after school.

I was wondering as to what could be the reason? When I went to school to pick my child, she told me she always uses to find pieces of food lying under the big roundtable where he sits.

After inquiring, she discovered that daily my child used to throw away his food every day so that he gets to play. My child innocently admitted that he was doing it for the past many months.

Such incidents jolt you as a mother.

We felt betrayed. 

What I finally did To Be Successful with my Picky Eater Kid?

There were five things which I did to get my child’s eating habit on track:

1. I made this a rule that no one will watch TV or use a mobile phone while eating. It applied to everyone in the family. I use to live alone with my child. Initially, I was dependent on both phone and TV while feeding my child. It was tough and not feasible to run around him for every bite. But mobiles and TV use to keep him seated at a place. So, now reading books to him while he eats on his own was my new way of making him finish his meal. Starting a few days without TV was tough for both of us. But then gradually, he started enjoying it.
2. Mornings are generally busy, and deciding then and there what to cook for his tiffin was tough. I made a chart of food for the whole month to add variety to his tiffin/ breakfast. I ensure I serve him 2-3 pieces of seasonal fruits, one main course item, and one item of his choice. Variety in food helped in keeping him excited and curious.
3. On school days, I started giving him only a boiled egg or half dal paratha with one cup of milk for breakfast this I use to do earlier also, but now at home, I strictly stopped forceful feeding. On holidays I ensure I follow the tiffin menu at breakfast.
4. I asked his teacher also not to force him to finish his tiffin as I use to give him a good breakfast. Moreover, if he is not hungry, then he will not eat. Let him decide on that. Now seeing the uneaten food in the tiffin, at least I knew how hungry he is after school.
5.  I decided to give him a variety of things in tiffin but in small quantities. Giving him a smaller portion of food did its trick. Now he was able to finish his tiffin on his own. It gave him a sense of accomplishment.

Results

Now due to Pandemic, he is not going to school but still, I follow this routine, and this has done wonders for me. It is tough to follow in the beginning but later on, you get used to it.

Different food has different nutrients in them. I was able to give my child a variety of nutritional things to eat.

Initially, he had no interest in eating. Now he is curious to know what I am cooking today.

My child’s addiction to TV and Mobile phones while eating is disappeared.

His interest in books and reading has incredibly increased.

Now he has learned to eat on his own as I do the reading while he eats.

Try these tricks and treats and see wonders for yourself.