Admit it. There are times that mealtime, when it is supposed to be a time to share great memories, it becomes the most annoying part of the day. This happens when your little angel becomes a spoiled brat who wants to go his way and assert his wants. Sad to say, this phase is really a tough one, and if not handled properly, it is a surefire hit that can ruin both yours and your child’s day.
So the question is, how can you make each mealtime to be one of the best parts of your child’s day? Below are some tips to help your kids look forward to having his meal and to have a delightful appetite:
1. Name that food. By playing games, you can let your child be literally involved in the eating process, not just a mere guest waiting to be fed. Let him identify the different ingredients of his meals by tasting it. For sure, even if the taste isn’t what he prefers, he’d be excited to taste it and give you the right answer. This way, he also learns exactly what goes into his body. Give him a reward like his favorite dessert if he names everything correctly! Fun, eh?
2. Decorate his plate. This thing of decorating plate is all over Pinterest nowadays, and in Japan, this is now an art (Bento box it is!). As your kid is at the stage where he is learning, giving him foods that are decorated stimulates his visual sense. Rev his appetite by forming his favorite characters or familiar figures using different kinds of fruits and veggies which has assorted colors and shapes.
3. Get dirty, yet fun! Instead of being a strict mum during meal time, when all you do is to point your kid’s lack of etiquette, teach him table manners by showing him what not to do, Make things fun by letting him get messy, dirty, silly and goofy! Then, you can ask him to ‘spot the not’ and show him what he should do instead. This way, your child would feel that mealtime is just like his playtime, but should only be taken ‘more’ seriously.
4.Go outdoors. A change of venue can make mealtime more exciting. Imagine the happiness and fun that your kid would feel if you’d tell him to pack his bag because you’re gonna have lunch beside the pool, or at the park. Have a picnic one sunny weekend, and feast on finger food and fruits.
Mealtime should be a fun and happy bonding time for the rest of the family. It is an important opportunity to develop strong parent and child relationships and a sense of family connectedness.
So what are you waiting for? Make your kiddos some bentos!
“MummySG, where every Mum is awesome.”
