My daughter was very young when I decided I had a picky eater on my hands. From the very moment I introduced solids at 6 months of age things didn’t go smoothly. While the other children in my mother’s group were gobbling yoghurt and pureed pumpkin by the bucket load, my little darling was turning her head away and pulling the most hideous faces imaginable. I dreaded most mealtimes. I began to feel that her “refusal” to accept food and her “behaviour” was a reflection on me. Add the fact that I’d then been a Dietitian for 10 years and my sense of personal and professional failure was at an all-time low.
Looking back, I can see where I would do things differently if I could wind back the clock. I also accept that there was no point comparing my child with others. I now know that there are some things that are unique to my little girl that made things as they were.
Having spent the last 7 years researching childhood nutrition and feeding practices, I now realise that defining fussy is subjective. The parents who contact me for help are as diverse as their children. They have different personalities, family structures, beliefs and values. What one mum thinks is outrageously picky behaviour, another is happy to ignore and move on. So, is your child picky or just frustratingly typical? Being picky with food, eating food one day and rejecting it the next, and having an appetite that’s as changeable as the wind are all hallmarks of typical child eating. Everyone has their own version of normal, right?
Here’s my 3 step check to see if you need a little help with moving past fussy:
Check 1: Is my child happy and relaxed at mealtimes? And am I?
Does your child remain happy and relaxed at mealtimes? If not, what can you do to help them (and you) come to the table ready to eat.
Check 2: Can I see improvement?
Can you see your child slowly moving forwards with texture progression and food variety? Or are you both stuck?
Check 3: Is my child’s fussy eating affecting our family life?
If you find yourself doing these things, then warning bells should be ringing:
- I only offer what he/she will eat. I’m so sick of the wasted food.
- I no longer eat with my child. It’s way too stressful.
- I hate feeding my child in front of others. It’s embarrassing.
- My partner and I have begun to argue about the kids’ eating.
Only YOU can decide whether fussy or picky eating has become a problem for your family. The great thing is that you have the power to turn things around, and the younger your children are when you take this step, the easier the road will be.
And if you need help, reach out to our amazing team of dietitian mums for support, or attend our next parent workshop.
Eat happy!
Deb Blakley
Accredited Practising Dietitian & Director
