Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition that presents very differently in different people. Whilst inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are characteristics that are commonly associated with ADHD in children and...
Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is the credential awarded by Dietitians Australia to ensure best practice and a commitment to professional development amongst Dietitians. To maintain this credential, a Dietitian must show evidence of professional development...
My least favourite task of parenting has to be packing school lunch boxes. As we start the school year, I invite you to approach packing your child’s lunch box a little differently. These practical lunch ideas for kids are designed to help make this job simpler and...
I was chatting to a friend who mentioned in passing what she was making for dinner tonight. It sounded delicious, I had all the ingredients, and I had meal envy (and nothing else planned). I decided to do the same meal, it was something different – but not completely...
"He is growing just fine. You have nothing to worry about...." You hear this but you KNOW everything is not fine! Let me start by saying that the information that growth charts provide is important. Insights from the Growth Chart Growth charts give us a really good...
Tonight, we had chicken stir-fry and rice. It is not Mr 4's favourite dish. I know that if I serve him this meal the same as everyone else there is a high chance he will not eat anything. I'm no short-order cook and there's no way I've got the time to cook two...
Mr 4 on a quiet train ride: "Mum look! That man has no hair!" Mr 4 at a cafe about the lady serving us: "Mum! Why does that lady have a big face?" Mr 4 to a family friend in a larger body: "Why do you have such big muscles?" As innocent as our children's questions...
Believe me, I've had to bite my tongue more than once to stop myself saying these words. Even though I may find a particular food delicious, my children often don't share my enthusiasm. This dish was delicious, despite the fact it lacked restaurant-quality...
Baby pouch foods are basically a parent's dream - no prep, low/no mess, and often in flavours that you may not have the ability to make at home. However, what I'm noticing is that when my 9-month-old has access to these, she prefers them to whole food options like for...
Mr 2 has had a serious case of the dinnertime wiggles for some time now. He is one of those kids that would be perfectly happy running backwards and forwards to the dinner table, grabbing mouthfuls of food as he continues his play. Sound familiar? Mr 2 is firmly in...
Master 3 was offered a Spreckle. Like almost every third child, he was exposed to ‘pleasure’ foods like this earlier. When he received the Spreckle, it was whole. He picked it up. Inspected it. Turned it over and over. Next, he broke it in half. Then, he left it on...
This transformation has been going on since she was about 8-9 years old. As a parent, it's truly incredible and to be honest - sometimes frightening to watch. "Where did my little girl go?" I support many parents of pre-teen and teen girls and boys in my clinic who...
Only bread for dinner (again)! We parents can get pretty worried that our children aren’t getting enough nutrition when they consistently eat just bread, rice or pasta for dinner, however, rest assured that even the popular ‘white diet’ is actually packed full of good...
Eating at Christmas can be an overwhelming day for children. Their usual safe foods may not be accepted due to the pressure of the Christmas meal setting. Ham, bread and potatoes may usually be safe foods, but at Christmas they may be a little different. The ham cut...
The pros and cons of the red stuff... A question that I'm sure millions of parents around the world ask every night... "Should I be letting my child drown everything in sauce?" For some reason tomato sauce (or ketchup if you live in the northern hemisphere) is one of...
The day I didn't eat my mushrooms... One day my partner cooked me breakfast which should have been all kinds of wonderful, except it wasn't. I wasn't hungry. I was tired and grumpy. And I didn't like the mushrooms. Me: "Did you cook these on a low heat?" Partner:...
Do you worry that your child does not eat enough? Have you heard people say that a child will eat if they’re hungry enough? That surely, they won’t starve themselves? But what happens when a child does ‘starve’ themselves to the point that growth becomes affected?...
Dear Educators, What would you say if I told you that you hold the power to nurture a child’s relationship with food or to damage it? Amongst all the other amazing things you do, you may not have realised that when it’s time to eat, your teaching skills are in most...
As a childcare educator, spending so much time with little people is an opportunity to observe eating behaviours close-up. Most centres will have regular timing for meals and snacks or perhaps a more relaxed eating schedule. Either way, during these times you’ve...
Something amazing happened in the Kindergarten room three weeks ago. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, but amazing just the same. The kind of amazing that gives you a warm feeling in your belly and a spring in your step. I walked into the room which was alive with...
Quite commonly I find myself frustrated by stories in the media by health “experts” selling the idea that any particular food or style of eating has miraculous health benefits. The hairs on the back of my neck also tend to stand on end when I hear people talk about...
Are family meal times being spoiled by unrealistic expectations? The more families I join with to create happier and more peaceful feeding relationships, the more I realise how unrealistic expectations can derail the best-intentioned family mealtime. Here are 5 common...
This article was first published in the ACAQ Early Edition, Autumn magazine 2017 and is written for early childhood educators who are caring for young children. Isabelle’s mum, Melissa rushes into the toddler’s room at 5:30pm. “Did Isabelle eat all her food today?”...
If your baby is approaching 6 months old, then get ready to pack your bags for a wondrous food journey. It’s going to be a wild ride! Take a deep breath, keep it simple and read on to find out what you need to know and what you can filter to the wind… Is baby ready?...
