X
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
EnglishFilipino
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
    • Project Sidekicks
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler Years
    • Preschool Age
    • Kids
    • Preteen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Health & Wellness
    • Diseases & Injuries
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • K-12
    • Special Education Needs
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Celebrities
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Home
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
    • Money
  • Become a VIP
  • COVID-19
  • Press Room
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping

Common parenting mistakes with feeding and mealtimes

3 min read
Common parenting mistakes with feeding and mealtimesCommon parenting mistakes with feeding and mealtimes

Foster your child's healthy relationship with food by avoiding these common feeding mistakes

Teaching our kids healthy eating habits can be a challenge, and there are so many ways to get it wrong. Positive Parenting Solutions enlisted the help of dietitian Maryann Johnson to identify the most common feeding mistakes parents make. Here’s what she had to sa

Interfering with eating

Around 85% of parents attempt to control their child’s food intake at mealtime. This is especially true with underweight AND overweight children, who have parents that are more likely to pressure their child to eat more or less.

But parents shouldn’t interfere with kids’ eating because children should be able to regulate their own food intake. “When parents try to get children to eat less or more, they teach children not to trust their body, which can hinder self-regulation,” writes Johnson. She recommends what’s called the Satter Division of Responsibility of Feeding:

  • Parents decide the what, when, and where feeding.
  • Children decide how much and whether of eating.

parenting mistakes

No structure

When your child demands food throughout the day and you give in, your child will learn not to eat out of hunger, but of habit. “She never really understands what hunger means but she knows that gets her yummy food when she wants it,” Johnson explains.

Meals and snacks should be scheduled at certain times in designated places. According to Johnson, toddlers need to eat every 2 to 3 hours, preschoolers every 3 to 4 hours, and older children every 4 hours or so. Allow your kids to eat as much or as little as they want, but remind them about when the next meal is coming:

  • “Make sure you got enough to eat because we aren’t eating until X.”
  • “I know you want a snack but we are eating in an hour from now.”

Click to the next page to find out about more common feeding mistakes.

Short-order cooking.

You prepare a meal for your family, but your child doesn’t want to have any of it. Worried that he’d go to bed hungry, you cook him an alternative meal. Sound familiar?

Johnson says that cooking a meal to accommodate your child gives him a signal that you don’t believe that he has the ability to eat more things, “decreasing his eating confidence.”

You can encourage your child to eat more things by:

  • Asking for input when meal planning.
  • Offering one or two items at meals that your child would probably like.
  • Being consistent—if they throw a tantrum, don’t give in. Remember you’re in charge.
parenting mistakes

Photo: Shutterstock

Forcing them to eat veggies.

Most children don’t like vegetables because of their sensitivity to bitter compounds, but this lessens over time. Forcing your kids to eat veggies will only make them dislike them even more.

Instead, you should let them gradually learn to like them. Feed your child a variety of fruit and other foods. You can also offer vegetables in many different ways that are appealing to kids.

READ: The 4 Feeding Styles: Do you know yours?

Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

Partner Stories
A mom’s responsibility: Getting vaccinated for her children
A mom’s responsibility: Getting vaccinated for her children
These 5 Easy Holiday Recipes Will Make the Christmas Filling At Home Extra Special
These 5 Easy Holiday Recipes Will Make the Christmas Filling At Home Extra Special
SEE, TASTE AND LOVE THE NEWEST DAIRY-FREE MILK IN THE METRO
SEE, TASTE AND LOVE THE NEWEST DAIRY-FREE MILK IN THE METRO
Your Favorite Soymilk Drink Now Comes in a New Size, Perfect for Your Little Champs
Your Favorite Soymilk Drink Now Comes in a New Size, Perfect for Your Little Champs

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Cristina Morales

Become a Contributor

  • Home
  • /
  • Health
  • /
  • Common parenting mistakes with feeding and mealtimes
Share:
  • Bungang Araw: Ano ang gamot at bakit nagkakaroon nito?

    Bungang Araw: Ano ang gamot at bakit nagkakaroon nito?

  • Sakit ng ulo: Mga gamot para maibsan ang headache

    Sakit ng ulo: Mga gamot para maibsan ang headache

  • #AskDok: Ano ang dapat gawin kapag nagkaroon ng nosebleed ang bata?

    #AskDok: Ano ang dapat gawin kapag nagkaroon ng nosebleed ang bata?

app info
get app banner
  • Bungang Araw: Ano ang gamot at bakit nagkakaroon nito?

    Bungang Araw: Ano ang gamot at bakit nagkakaroon nito?

  • Sakit ng ulo: Mga gamot para maibsan ang headache

    Sakit ng ulo: Mga gamot para maibsan ang headache

  • #AskDok: Ano ang dapat gawin kapag nagkaroon ng nosebleed ang bata?

    #AskDok: Ano ang dapat gawin kapag nagkaroon ng nosebleed ang bata?

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Baby Names
    • Delivery
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Advice for Parenting Kids
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Local celebs
    • Celebrities
    • Money
    • News
  • FAMILY & HOME
    • Couples
    • Weekend & Holiday Guide
    • Health
  • Building a BakuNation
    • More
      • TAP Community
      • Advertise With Us
      • Contact Us
      • Become a Contributor


    • Singapore flag Singapore
    • Thailand flag Thailand
    • Indonesia flag Indonesia
    • Philippines flag Philippines
    • Malaysia flag Malaysia
    • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
    • India flag India
    • Vietnam flag Vietnam
    • Australia flag Australia
    • Japan flag Japan
    • Nigeria flag Nigeria
    • Kenya flag Kenya
    © Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
    About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
    • Tools
    • Articles
    • Feed
    • Poll

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

    theAsianparent heart icon
    Nais naming magpadala ng notification sa'yo tungkol sa latest news at update sa pag-aalaga ng baby at kanilang kalusugan.