How is feeding going?
What do you like about feeding?
Is there anything you would like to be different?
What and how are you feeding your toddler?
Your toddler will eat best when you do your jobs with feeding and let him do his jobs with eating. Your jobs are to choose the food, get meals on the table, and eat with him. His jobs are to eat—or not eat. Put him in a high chair or booster seat, lay something on the floor to catch spills, and let him join in with the family meal. He can eat most foods other people eat. Don’t ask him what he wants to eat—he is too little to know.
Here is what to do—and not do—when you feed your toddler:
Have meals. Have them about the same times every day. Give sit-down snacks at set times.
Don’t wait for him to say “I’m hungry” before you offer meals and snacks. Don’t let him eat on the run or have drinks all the time, except for water.
Sit with him and eat your own food. Talk and listen. Be good company.
Don’t feed him instead of eating with him. Don’t ignore him. Don’t make him the center of attention. Don’t watch TV at mealtime.
Dish out 1 or 2 tablespoons of each food. Let him have more of any food if he wants.
Don’t give him a lot or not enough. Don’t make him eat one food before he can have another.
Let him eat his way: fast or slow, much or little, spoon or fingers, 1 or 2 foods.
Don’t hurry him up. Don’t pile and arrange his food. Don’t give him dessert or a toy to make him eat.
Teach him to behave so you can have a nice meal. Excuse him when he is done.
Don’t put up with bad behavior or make him stay at the table in hopes he will eat.
Give him lots of chances to try new food at different meals on different days.
Don’t stop making food he doesn’t eat right away.
