Motivating your children to eat in a healthy way is a key factor that will require you to have consistency and patience, as they learn to stick to a balanced daily diet during the preschool stage, which includes ages 3 to 5.
A huge advantage is that your kids will be willing and excited to learn what you teach them, mainly because they are discovering the world, and that is also the reason why they are able to absorb a great amount of information like little sponges.
When we talk about learning, we are including not only what you tell them by words, but also your body language and they learn by watching too, meaning that they tend to imitate the behaviours and conducts they see in you.
A great tool that you can use in the current digital era is a suitable childcare management app, and these tips will also be extremely helpful when it comes to understanding a healthy eating routine.
As you supervise them through the meal, you will want to focus on teaching them the habits you want them to stick to in their regular routine.
In this article, we aim to guide you while you instruct your kids about the essentials of nutrition.
So if this information resonates with you, keep reading and find out how to be the best support your children can have as they learn good eating habits.
Stick to your plan
Organize your meal plan for the day, or even for the week. Set times for the main meals as well as for the snacks, if any, and restrain from making any spontaneous foods.
Here you want to avoid providing any candy, even if it is small, as this can significantly affect their appetite, plus, it can negatively impact their buccal health, as this is a bad habit that can result in caries or related issues.
Sticking to a plan will allow your children to adapt easily to mealtimes, and you will increase the chances of them accepting the determined schedule.
Encourage good manners
It is pretty common to have poor behaviour at the table. What makes the difference is how you react when these situations arise, and you will want to be clear about the instructions you give to your kids and the expected outcome from them.
While you are deeply loving and soft in the way you treat them, you have to be firm in what you require from them, letting them know that it is not acceptable to play during mealtime.
Besides the conduct problem, remember that you are the responsible adult in charge and you should own the situation, playing while having a meal can result in choking.
Be an example
Teach your kids specific examples of what a healthy plate looks like by serving a balanced dish for yourself.
Your kid will most likely copy what they see you doing, so the best way to convince them that something is good for them is by adopting this habit yourself first.