School started recently, to my relief. Everybody it seems does better when there is a schedule in place. With carefree summer days behind us, it is time again to focus on what our kids are eating. Besides being a nutritionist, I feel like I'm an expert in feeding kids because my four kids expect dinner every night. Yes, I cook them dinner every night. But I am not a short order cook. Not everyone is happy with every meal I cook. I can live with that. Having one of them not eat dinner sure beats turning my dinner table into a battle field.
Many parents let their children set the tone at the dinner table from the time they are toddlers. I have seen otherwise extremely capable parents crumble at the dinner table catering to their kid's outrageous demands. Once dinner has turned into a power struggle, everyone has lost. If you are the parent, you are the one in charge. If your kid refuses to eat the dinner you made, it is annoying for sure, but I promise you will all survive. The last thing you want to do is force your children to eat. Once your child knows they can control you with this, the harder it will be to change their behavior.
I have some parents lament that all their kid is willing to eat in mac and cheese or hot dogs. My answer is always the same. If you don't want to feed your kids this stuff, stop buying it and making it for them. Your children really are at your mercy, even though I'm sure sometimes it seems like the other way around. Here's an idea, if you don't want them to eat something, don't buy it.
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In my house, while I am not willing to offer my kids a "kids menu" I am willing to serve the sauce on the side to improve the odds that more of my kids will be happy. If I am going to make something that I know will get complaints, I try to serve it on night I have left overs to offer as another option.
Studies show that if you present a new food to your kid and say, "I know you won't like this" this odds are they wont. A much better approach is "I know you are going to love this. I made it special for you." It's time we stop being so afraid of our kids at the dinner table.
