Toddler Cafe - Jennifer Carden [3]
My daughter would not touch tuna salad with a ten-foot fairy wand until she saw my husband having some and he told her it was what mermaids liked to snack on. Then she gobbled it up like a hungry little mermaid. Kids love fantasy, so play on that—the more absurd the better.
meal routine
How your child comes to the table is usually a huge factor in what direction the meal will take. A positive mood and happy toddler will make the eating experience more enjoyable for everyone. Change and toddlers don’t mix. Kids crave routine and need to know what to expect. Usually they are playing just before dinnertime and can be jolted by the call to the table; there may be resistance. Give them fair warning when the meal will be happening; for example, “When the timer goes off, see how fast you can get to the table.” If time increments don’t work, create your own dinner bell by hitting a soup pot with a wooden spoon—three times means dinnertime! The time will not mean anything to them, but they will definitely know it is coming. Create a fun dinnertime routine to help avoid the throw-down tantrum that can come on so swiftly. Here are some ideas to help you get started with a new routine:
Eat at the same time every night when possible.
Have your child participate in setting the table with placemats and napkins, which are manageable for small hands.
Talk about the yummy food you are going to have.
Include them in the preparation of the meal.
Don’t rush; children are more likely to eat in a relaxed environment.
Start traditions such as taking turns saying one fun thing you did during the day, or something you are grateful for. Friday nights are a great night for this ritual, as it seals the week and shows a definitive start to the weekend.
If it is just you and your child or children eating, don’t leave them alone at the table to get the dishes done. Sit with them. Let them know that they are important and you can take the time to be with them. By sitting with them, you have a much better chance of encouraging them to eat with you while being interactive and creative.
Have your child help with cleanup. This is a perfect time to teach responsibility. (See Cleanup Tips, page 14.)
kids are messy people, too: if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
Wiping, wiping . . . that is all we were doing when our daughter was first eating, keeping her neat and tidy, not letting her clothing get those pesky carrot stains on them. One hot summer day, my good friend noticed my two-year-old very neatly eating a Popsicle, without a drip. We were so proud! But without reservation, my friend said, “Hey, let the kid have some fun, would ya? How will she ever experience anything?” That really opened our eyes and made us think about what we were doing. After a discussion with my husband where we wondered if we were permanently damaging our child’s psyche, we decided to take a different approach and let her start experiencing the world of food more intimately—mostly with her hands! This is where the concept for this book was born: we would let her have the tactile experience on her own without too much interference from us, and her tastes would be her own.
Yes, feeding toddlers is messy business, so be prepared, roll up your sleeves, and jump in! You have spent the last year spoon-feeding them, and now it is time to hand over the spoon and stand back—way back. They’re discovering a world of new tastes, and you have the pleasure of walking down the road with them, toting a sponge.
Don’t stress the mess. It is going to happen—remember the days of baby food in the hair? Hopefully those days are over. New ways of being messy are emerging every day, and your kid is on top of it! Make sure to give positive attention to eating and less attention to mess to make the child comfortable. Try, “Please take your drumstick out of your juice. Does it taste good?