Trying everything but nothing working with a fussy eater
This is probably the most common frustration for parents with a picky eater.
Are parents just lazy?
There is a common misconception that parents of fussy eaters are just lazy and let their children ‘get away’ with eating whatever.
In my experience it is generally the opposite. Parents with fussy eaters are working twice as hard.
– They are not able to put a meal on the table and have the whole family smile, tuck in and say positive things.
– Meals, snacks, parties, travel and social occasions require military planning.
Parents also spend countless hours researching what might work, testing strategies they have read or heard about and making ‘special’ recipes that are turned down more quickly than a plate of worms!
What to do?
What’s really important to understand is:
1. There is always a solution. However, challenged your child is around food there are strategies that will work.
I have seen children go from eating one thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner to being able to manage a wider range of foods, so I know this is true.
2. You are, in 99% of cases, the one best placed to work with your child.
No one is more invested in your child than you. No one spends more time or knows them as well. It stands to reason therefore that you are the one who can have the most impact on your child’s eating. Yes, you may need support, but there is rarely a necessity to outsource the day to day strategies that will, over time produce results.
The reality
We have often become very disempowered and lost confidence in our ability to help our child’s eating.
But many of the keys are super simple. I hear “this makes so much sense” all the time when I work with families.
Very often parents feel really disappointed that they haven’t sought help sooner as so much of what we advocate is straight forward, logical and easy to slot into normal routines.
I’d love to gift you a simple system that does work, even for very selective eaters. It’s gentle, it’s kind and it’s been proven to work.
Please contact us if you’d like a no cost discovery call where we’re able to detail exactly how we can help you and your family.
Judith is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.