Mistakes that parents make with kids who are picky eaters!

• Doing these things WILL NOT convince your child to eat!
• Here are some tips for getting your baby to eat.
• Picky eaters are actually very common.

Mistakes that parents make with picky eaters. Having fussy children when it comes to mealtimes is quite common, since everything is new for them. An expert in pediatrics revealed some tips that will help parents of picky eaters.

The Sun spoke with Emma Hubbard, a pediatric occupational therapist, who revealed the top mistakes parents make when dealing with picky eaters. Pay close attention because this could help you conquer this issue.

Kids who are picky eaters are very common

Dr. Hubbard explained that feeding problems with young children is quite common. In addition, she specified why this is very normal. She said: «Picky eating can be an extremely stressful experience for both you and your little one. When they simply refuse to eat anything but the smallest selection of foods, it’s common to simply run out of ideas for what to try next.»

In addition, Dr. Hubbard explained that this is a stage kids go through: “Picky eating is a normal part of development and all children will go through it to some degree, even the best eaters eventually go through a period of fussiness and food refusal,” she told The Sun. Filed Under: Mistakes parents make with picky eaters

Avoid bribery

Emma Hubbard revealed that one of the main tips for encouraging babies to eat is not to use bribery. It can be tempting to bribe your little one into eating vegetables with the promise of a sweet afterwards, but this sends the totally wrong message. The expert said that this reinforces the impression that the food is bad. «This decreases your child’s preference for that new food because it reinforces their idea that the new food is unpleasant and they need to get a reward for eating it.» she said.

Step two is to avoid putting pressure on them. The Sun revealed that, whether it’s trying to push them to finish the whole meal or getting them to try new foods, pressure almost never helps. While this method might work in the moment, it doesn’t do anything in the long run, Emma explained. “It actually makes fussy eating worse […] they become anxious and stressed around meal time,” she said. Don’t hide new food in their favorite food. “New food should never be hidden in your child’s favorite food” Filed Under: Mistakes parents make with picky eaters

Don’t fill up on fluids and say goodbye to distractions

Staying hydrated is very important for everyone and you also need to make sure your little one drinks enough but allowing them to drink too much milk, juice and sugary drinks can suppress their appetite. «They will no longer be hungry or motivated to try new foods,» Dr. Hubbard told The Sun.

Emma added that having distraction such as television, tablet or cell phone doesn’t really help. “When your toddler is watching a screen while eating they are more likely to eat vegetable and fruit. But what happens when you’re doing that is they aren’t focusing on the taste of the food, smell or taste of the food.» Filed Under: Mistakes Parents Make