Not Praising a Toddler for Eating?
By Contributing Editor Pamela Gifford
When it comes to toddlers, picky eating is widespread and normal among the entire toddler population. One day they eat everything in sight, the next day they want nothing. One day they love spaghetti o's and the next day they hate them. Then comes the day where they yell for pizza or macaroni and cheese for breakfast, lunch, and supper. So while there is no specific reason why toddlers behave in this manner, one thing is clear. When they DO eat well you want to praise them for it. Even if they are eating something that's not really all that great for them, you're just so relieved that they want to eat, period, that you find yourself telling them what a good job they are doing.
Not a very good idea, according to some experts now, who warn that praising a toddler for eating could be one of the causes of childhood obesity. They say that if you praise a toddler, it invokes the toddler's need to please his parents, thus causing him to continue eating even after he is full. This can quickly become a habit and will lead to weight gain.
However, moms are often encouraged to praise their child if they use the potty, or if they put on their shoes by themselves. It is a fact that children enjoy praise and that moms frequently use praise to encourage good behavior, which also includes good eating habits. But the obesity epidemic has some people at unease about encouraging toddlers to eat, no matter how picky the toddler is.
A middle ground needs to be found within this. You cannot expect your toddler to take eating seriously enough to make positive choices if you do not praise her for doing so. It is true that toddlers will eat when they are hungry. You are not a bad parent if you refuse to make something different for your toddler because he refuses to eat what's being offered at meal times. You are not a short order cook. To find middle ground with this, offer more healthy options for your toddler. Instead of caving in to your toddler's demands for hot dogs the third day in a row, just because you want her to eat anything, offer something healthier. Instead of sweets, offer fruits. Your toddler will eat if she's hungry. By offering her healthier choices and praising her even when she just tries it, you are not just encouraging her to eat, but you are encouraging her to eat healthy.
The obesity scare shouldn't make you worry about making healthy eating choices for your toddler, nor should it make you squeamish about praising your toddler for eating healthy.
Just don't praise them when they eat food that isn't good for them.
