Hi Jennifer,
<br />GREAT questions!! So good in fact, that I've written an entire article about it. Rather than re-post it all here, I am giving the link. But here's a little "preview":
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<br /><b>Food Fights: Tools and Tips for Avoiding and Motivating Picky Eaters</b>by Lisa C. Greene
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<br />One of the earliest power struggles for every parent is around food. Being picky about food is a typical toddler behavior. And when a child has CF, it's an even bigger battle because the stakes are so high. Having a good parenting tool kit around dealing with food issues is essential. There are definitely things that we should, and shouldn't, be doing when faced with a food standoff.
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<br />The bottom line is that we can't make a kid eat! Of course we try to and we do everything under the sun to "make" our child eat. But a basic rule of human nature- especially for toddlers (and teenagers!)- is that when one demands, the other resists. So the more you try to make your child eat certain foods or a certain amount, the more your child will naturally resist.
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<br />Kids love emotion so the key is to show lots of emotion when they do things right and very little emotion when they don't. It's easy to do the opposite. We don't even notice when our kids do things right and then we show all kinds of emotion when they goof up! So we have to be thoughtful and clever about how we motivate our kids to eat and one way is with choices. The earlier you start with sharing control around food choices, the better. Here's how it works:
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<br />Parent: "It's time for breakfast! Do you want pancakes or waffles?" Kid: "Waffles." Parent: "Great! Would you like one or two?" "Two." "Okay. Do you want maple syrup or strawberry?" "Maple." Good! Do you feel like having bacon or sausage?" "Apples or bananas?" "White milk or chocolate milk? You get the idea... By using choices, our preschoolers are more likely to actually eat what we prepare because they are involved in choices.
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<br />Parents always ask, "What if my child just won't eat?" That's a great question. In fact, it was that very question that led me to Love and Logic! This was me before Love and Logic:
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<br />"Jacob, eat your food." "Please eat your food." "It's getting cold, eat!" "Don't you know there are starving kids in China?" And finally, the ultimate, "You are not leaving this table until you eat your breakfast."
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<br />Now, has any parent ever existed that could make a three- year- old sit at the table until he has eaten a bowl of cold, hard oatmeal? What was I thinking?! But I didn't know what else to do. And, in the back of my mind, I was afraid. Afraid that he wouldn't eat. Afraid that he wouldn't gain weight and afraid that he'd get sick. I thought it was my job, as his mom, to make him eat. And I was afraid I wasn't doing a good enough job. Talk about pressure! And this was what happened after I learned just a little Love and Logic:
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<br />To read the rest, visit: www.TipsForCFParents.com and click on Food Issues. Or click here: <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.happyheartfamilies.citymax.com/articles/article/6986084/131155.htm">http://www.happyheartfamilies....cle/6986084/131155.htm</a>
