Parents worry about their children. Believe me, raising 3 kids has made this clear! I also know that fretting about what and how much our kids eat will backfire. Small children can control very little of what happens to them. But there is one thing they can control \u2013 whether they eat the food we offer them. So when we pressure them to eat, they\u2019ll often push back.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/span>We ask them to have another bite, try the broccoli, or finish their plates \u2013 and what happens? They dig in their heels and close their mouths! The pediatric nutritionist Ellyn Satter states this dynamic well:<\/p>\n Trying to get a child to eat more than she wants makes her\u00a0eat less.\u00a0Trying to get her to eat less than she wants makes her\u00a0eat more.\u00a0Trying to get her to eat certain foods makes her\u00a0avoid them.<\/i><\/p>\n You try not to let them know you\u2019re worried. But kids feel our worry even when it\u2019s \u201chidden.\u201d<\/p>\n In fact, even very young children are excellent at detecting our true emotions. My first baby cried lots. He cried morning, noon, and night. He cried outdoors and inside. He cried in my arms or his dad\u2019s. It was exhausting! Once at a large family gathering he was fussing, and a sweet sister-in-law offered to hold him. I watched as he settled from a full scream to a calm sleep within moments in her arms. Even at that age, he sensed her calm and lack of worry and was soothed!<\/p>\n So rather than worry, or pressure your child to eat, talk with your\u00a0pediatrician<\/a>. Ask if they\u2019re concerned about your child\u2019s weight and nutrition. Their answer may be very reassuring!<\/p>\n If you\u2019re concerned about your child being a picky eater, read my\u00a0nutritional soundbites<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and try to let go of your worry. Consider giving your child a daily multivitamin so all their nutritional bases are covered, even if they don\u2019t seem to eat much. And feel reassured that for most children, this is just a phase they pass through pretty quickly!<\/p>\n Worrying will not help. Erma Bombeck had wisdom for us on this issue:<\/p>\n Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.<\/i><\/p>\n