How to Make Your Picky Eater Eat

Thankfully, I never had a problem making my four children eat. My dilemma was rather the opposite: how to keep them out of the fridge until meal time. However, I have observed other parents in the family desperately trying to get nourishment into their offspring. I have also noticed that, the more the parent tried, the more stubborn the child became.

How familiar is this scenario? Mother offers food to the child. Child turns away, twisting and making faces, repeating. "No, no, no!", and perhaps more colorful negatives, depending on the level of language development.

Mother begs, pleads, tries to bribe, threatens, whines, scolds until she runs out of strategies. At this point, either Junior wins, or they're both so upset, no one could eat anyway. It's become a battle of wills, a contest, one of the few that the child can win. The more important the issue becomes, the more determined each contestant is to be victorious.

Call off the contest. For the time being, let food become a secondary issue, accompanying another activity which assumes primary importance. For example:

*Take the family to the park or the beach. Get out in the fresh air. Bring a lunch in case anybody gets hungry. It might consist of boiled eggs, cheese slices, fruit juice, cereal bars, bananas or other nourishing finger food. Don't mention food until you're asked for it.

*Rent a children's film. Have "Movie Night" around the TV with bite-sized pieces of pizza or celery with cheese or veggies with dip on a tray so everyone can help themselves. They usually eat without even thinking about it. Small cartons of chocolate milk will be welcome about half way through the show.

*Let the child invite a friend or two for a meal. Ask for menu suggestions. Leave them to eat whatever they wish. Compliment the guests on having great appetites! Cake and ice cream are fine for dessert. Hide a small prize in each piece of cake. There won't be many pieces left.

*During a shopping trip, stop in for a snack at a chicken restaurant. Chicken fingers, or chicken nuggets with plum sauce and french fries usually tempt tired young shoppers.