Hi Mumma, Daddy! Did you know that my eating habits might change a bit around this age? I might become a little picky with my food, but don’t worry, it’s normal. Let me share some things we can do together to make meal times easier and more fun!
Understanding Picky Eating
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Growth and Appetite Changes: Mumma, my growth is slowing down a bit now that I'm around two years old, so my appetite might not be as big as before. It’s just a part of growing up!
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Evolutionary Traits: Historically, being cautious about new foods helped keep kids safe from harmful things. That’s why I might be a bit hesitant to try new foods.
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Sensory Sensitivity: Sometimes, I’m really sensitive to the taste, smell, and texture of foods. It can make me more selective about what I eat.
Tips for Managing Picky Eating
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Routine and Predictability Having set meal and snack times can help me know when to expect food, Mumma. This makes me less anxious about eating.
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Moderate Snacking Make sure my snacks are balanced and not too close to meal times, so I’m hungry enough to eat my meals.
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Involve Your Child Let me help with meal prep, Daddy! Washing vegetables or mixing ingredients can make me more interested in the food we eat.
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Offer Choices Give me a sense of control by offering limited choices. For example, ask if I want carrots or cucumbers as a snack. It makes me feel important.
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Introduce New Foods Gradually Pair new foods with my favorite ones. It makes new things less scary. Remember, it can take many tries before I start to like something new.
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Stay Positive Keep meal times positive and stress-free. If you pressure me to eat, I might start associating food with bad feelings.
Resources for Parents
Mumma, Daddy, Happy Family Organics has a great guide on picky eating with practical tips and meal ideas. They even have dietitians and nutrition experts who can give us personalized advice.
By understanding my picky eating phase and working with me, you’re helping me develop healthy eating habits. Thanks for being patient and supportive!
Keywords: picky eating, toddler eating habits, growth and appetite changes, evolutionary traits, sensory sensitivity, meal times, healthy eating habits.