Eating is a natural response to hunger, and the habits children develop early in life can influence their attitudes toward food for the rest of their lives. While a child who is reluctant to eat can be upsetting to parents, in fact most children go through at least one fussy-eating phase, refusing most of the foods they are offered. In most cases, these are just phases, and studies have found that while children may appear not to eat much over the course of a day, in fact over a week’s time their intake is almost always adequate.
Most feeding problems can be resolved if parents simply provide a varied, appealing selection of
healthy meals and snacks, allowing children to eat as much or as little as they wish. Mealtime battles are almost always a guaranteed losing proposition for parents, because in fact it is almost impossible to make a reluctant child eat. Of course, guidelines about eating are still important.
Excessive snacking interferes with normal appetite controls and can lead to weight gain and
poor eating habits. Meals featuring healthy selections should be scheduled at regular intervals, and food should never be used as a bribe or reward. Just like adults, all children have likes and dislikes, and wise parents will respect their preferences where possible.