A recommended mealtime routine for kids age one and up
Let’s talk eating 😋🍽 A BIG topic I get asked a lot about when I work with families. Parents always want to know - is my child eating enough? Why doesn’t he eat X? I never know if he is hungry - he barely sits at the table! 🤯🤯🤯
Before you can jump to other interventions / specialists, you have to rule out the (very) common struggle that what your child is lacking is routine. Eating can be a very stressful, unknown experience for a lot of children, especially if new foods are being introduced. A routine helps a child know what to generally expect, calming any anxieties and increasing the likelihood of compliant behavior. Here’s an example of a mealtime routine I recommend:
1️⃣ Announce meal/snack time 5-10 mins in advance so that your child knows it’s coming - try to stick to the same approximate times every day.
2️⃣ Sit your child at a table or appropriate high chair - yes even for snacks! (you’d be surprised how many parents I see who allow their child to wander around while eating and then chase them with a spoon hoping they will take a bite - no! This is not structured enough and you will not have your child’s full attention)
3️⃣ No phones or tablets at table. Sorry 🤷♀️ Bad habit that is almost impossible to break.
4️⃣ Encourage your child to remain seated until done. This will be harder with the young ones but even 2-3 mins at first is a start. Some parents have success with using a timer to hold themselves and their child accountable.
5️⃣ Teach your child to request permission / tell you when they are done. If they aren’t speaking in full sentences yet, model “all done!” when you believe they are and have them repeat it.
Feel free to adjust steps as needed to fit you and your family. If you don’t have anything close to this yet, don’t worry! YOU are in charge and you can decide to start. For older children, I recommend you TELL your child that the “rules”/expectations are going to change and to really walk them through each step. Give it a few weeks to really sink in but be consistent! That’s the most important part.
Thoughts? If you already have a mealtime routine, what does it look like? Share below! 👇