I have so many friends who say their children do not eat well, and this seems to happen from the age of 3, or maybe it is just a coincidence. So as I was researching about it, I discovered the various reasons that children lose their appetite. Here are a few:
- Illness
- your child is eating and drinking between meals
- Your child is exerting less energy than usual
- Worms
- Sickness
- Stress
- Medication
- Constipation
But the one that I thought most mothers face is one due to decrease in energy levels. It seems after turning 1, children's appetites fluctuate according to age, their nature, energy levels and stage of growth. So it is perfectly normal! As they say 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' DO NOT STRESS MOMS!
So what should you do?
- Firstly stop panicking, it won't change anything
- Check if your child is ill or has worms etc...cross out all the options above
- Buy what your child enjoys to eat and encourage them to eat nutritious food
- Make meal time exciting for the child.
- Involve them in the preparation of the food, it could be exciting to them
- Do not force feed them, you will only make it worse
- Some kids may enjoy eating small amounts of food frequently, try it
- Praise him/her when he eats, it boosts their self-esteem
- Never scare them with food if they have been naughty, you could create a permanent fear of food without realising it
- Avoid distractions at mealtime
I hope this will help some moms out there. Please also feel free to share your tips of what you did/are doing to make your children eat. It takes a village to raise a child, we are the village, let's share our ideas
#beingaparent
Till next Monday
Stay blessed
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More material for you to read
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/Nutrition/Pages/Appetite-Slump-in-Toddlers.aspx
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