Making Mealtime Fun
Introducing your baby to solids is not only about teaching her to swallow food from a spoon, but teaching her that mealtime is something to look forward to and enjoy. We all lead very busy lives and kids can easily come to think of eating as a chore, which can lead to picky eaters and bad habits. Taking just a little extra time to make mealtime fun will lay a strong foundation, not only for good nutrition, but for the love of mealtime.
You can start making positive food associations right from the start. Tell your baby what he is eating. Let him touch, smell and explore the whole fruits and vegetables. He’ll love being part of the action.
Leave plenty of time for your baby’s meals, especially in the beginning. Be sure not to rush her. If she feels rushed it could attach a negative feeling to mealtime when it should be something to look forward to.
It’s important to avoid putting your personal food aversions onto your baby. My husband has a really strong anti-cheese thing going on, he can’t even handle being near it, but most babies and kids love cheese. Every time I give my boys something with cheese, I can see him ready to make a comment and I give him a little wink as a reminder not to say anything.
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Making Mealtime Fun
Introducing your baby to solids is not only about teaching her to swallow food from a spoon, but teaching her that mealtime is something to look forward to and enjoy. We all lead very busy lives and kids can easily come to think of eating as a chore, which can lead to picky eaters and bad habits. Taking just a little extra time to make mealtime fun will lay a strong foundation, not only for good nutrition, but for the love of mealtime.
You can start making positive food associations right from the start. Tell your baby what he is eating. Let him touch, smell and explore the whole fruits and vegetables. He’ll love being part of the action.
Leave plenty of time for your baby’s meals, especially in the beginning. Be sure not to rush her. If she feels rushed it could attach a negative feeling to mealtime when it should be something to look forward to.
It’s important to avoid putting your personal food aversions onto your baby. My husband has a really strong anti-cheese thing going on, he can’t even handle being near it, but most babies and kids love cheese. Every time I give my boys something with cheese, I can see him ready to make a comment and I give him a little wink as a reminder not to say anything.
Mealtime is a great opportunity to bond with your baby. Whenever possible, turn off the TV, put down the cell phone and avoid the computer. Try listening to music and talking to your baby - even if she can’t talk back…yet.
Be a good example. If your baby sees you eating healthy, he will want to eat healthy too!
Keep a camera nearby, you’ll be glad you did!
