Why Shouldn’t Children Be Forced To Eat?
For a long time and even today, parents force their children to eat all the food that is served on the plate. But is it okay to demand this from them?
We should not force children to eat, since they themselves know when they need to eat and when they don’t.
Experts agree that the child should not be forced to eat. Like all human beings, they also realize when to eat and when to stop. However, if we are constantly pressuring them to finish the plate, they will not listen to their body, but to what we impose on them.
Julio Basulto, dietician, nutritionist and writer of several books, refers to this: ” We must not insist that our children eat something they do not want, more than they want or faster than they can. ” If we insist, we will only achieve negative results.
On the other hand, it is important that we bear in mind that children are, precisely, children. They are smaller than us and that is why their diet will be different from ours. Especially when they are smaller. Their stomachs are smaller than ours, therefore we cannot expect their portions to be the same size.
Consequences of forcing children to eat
We believe that we are doing a child good when we insist that he eat something he does not like or finish his plate. But it’s not like that.
Insisting on the child can generate rejection of the food we are trying to get him to eat.
On the other hand, if the little one continues to eat when he is satisfied, he will be eating more food than he needs. When a child eats more than he needs , overweight problems can appear .
What are the common behaviors that we should avoid?
- Threatening the child to deprive him of an activity that he enjoys
- Make you feel bad
- Tell lies
- Press it
- Scare him
- Abuse him psychologically
What can we do to get them to eat?
- Give it time : Each person eats in their own way and at their own pace. Both parents probably have different times. It is important to understand this and not put pressure on the child. Respecting your time for each meal will make you feel calmer and more comfortable eating.
- Offer new foods little by little : Children must assimilate and get used to each new food. If we offer them many new ingredients in the same meal, it will be more difficult for them to assimilate. They will do better if we suggest new dishes little by little, without forcing them to eat one if they do not accept it in the first instance.
- Avoid distractions : Mealtime should be exclusively for that. It is preferable to avoid television and all kinds of toys. This way the children will focus only on food.
- Eating with the family : It is important that they get into the habit of eating while others do. Incorporating it at the table in the hours in which we usually eat will improve its relationship with the environment and with food. Remember that as they grow up they want to feel included and be part of everything you do.
- Set an example : If you want your child to eat something, you must eat it too. If you try to feed him something that you are not willing to eat, you have a hard time! You must show the child that what you try to eat is delicious and you also like it.
- Avoid making faces of intrigue or concern when giving a new food : It is best if it is something natural. If not, the child will perceive that something is not right and will be alarmed, increasing the probability that he will refuse food.
- Avoid sweets and other types of food before mealtime : If we allow him to eat snacks before lunch or dinner, the child will be less predisposed to eat food. If you offer him something that doesn’t tempt him too much, it will be easier for him to decline since he has already eaten something before.
Remember that everyone has their time, and respecting the child’s time will help build a better relationship and provide the tools so that you can offer them a healthier diet.
