Almost all children for some time are picky. Psychologists explain this by saying that the child learns to be independent, and reassure that it does not last long. But how to feed the baby, if he refuses to eat and is naughty? To do this, you need to know the reasons, and there are several:
Reason 1: Contradiction Sense
The baby is growing up and tends to make decisions independently. How often does he refuse to wear what you propose and choose something completely different? So at the table. Solving this problem is not at all difficult: let him prepare something for himself. Give him different foods and let him create his own gastronomic masterpiece. Do not even hesitate, everything will be eaten without reserve. Moreover, such independence will raise self-esteem in a child, which is important.
Reason 2: He doesn’t like food
This does not mean that your culinary skills leave much to be desired. Nature has arranged our taste buds in such a way that we do not like bitter, but prefer sweet. On a subconscious level, bitter taste is associated with something poisonous, and sweet - with survival. In young children, all receptors are more subtle, so they perceive the taste and flavor of food products more than we do. It is also not necessary to exclude a genetic predisposition to react more strongly to bitterness. It is necessary to accustom the child to new food gradually and carefully, not to force it in any way. Patience, of course, will require a lot, as well as ingenuity. Try to prepare the dish in different ways, it is best to make it "easy" to eat. The child may not like the rind, for example, or the method of preparation.
Reason 3: He is not hungry
It should be borne in mind that in the second year of life the growth rate slows down a bit. Food is no longer the only need of the child. And it is only natural that he becomes more selective and moderate in his food. Maybe the problem is in your ideas about the amount of food your child needs? Perhaps the portions you offer him are too large. But before you change something, it is better to consult with experts. But such a situation can be used to their advantage. When feeding a child, start with a small amount of the dish that he doesn’t like very much, but leave what he likes “for dessert”. In any case, children eat everything when they are really hungry.
Reason 4: You are too persistent.
If your child categorically refuses to even sit down at the table, it is not necessary to insist in any way. Try to make the meal an interesting pastime. Show imagination and ingenuity. Invite him together with you to create an unusual dish, of course, from healthy products. Eating time also plays a big role. It is not recommended to seat the baby at the table later than half past five in the evening. The fact is that in the evening the children get tired, and if you have dinner later, you cannot avoid the vagaries and wrangles.
Reason 5: It's boring
Children tend to show interest in products that look unusual and attractive and have catchy names. Somehow, American scientists conducted an interesting experiment with children of preschool age: they called ordinary carrots "carrots for supervision", and the children ate it twice as much! Ask your child to help you create a menu. Kids love looking at beautifully illustrated cooking magazines and books. Pay his attention to how appetizing this or that dish looks, how tasty and healthy it is, and how interesting it will be to cook it! Listen to all your baby’s ideas and encourage them. And do not forget to praise him.
