Entries Tagged 'parenting tips' ↓

One of the top issues in homes today is one where parents are completely frustrated at how picky or fussy their children are at mealtimes. Luckily, there is a very easy solution to this problem.

Meal times should and can be one of the most precious rituals in any family’s home. It’s a time when everyone’s schedules go out the window and you just sit together eating, catching up on each other’s days and enjoying one another’s company.

If your meal times are not like this then let’s have a look at some possible reasons why, along with an appropriate solution for each. And keep in mind…some of these tricks may work on adults, too!

1) Your family doesn’t actually make meal times a priority ie: breakfast or dinner

Solution: If I told you that there is ALWAYS some way your family could sit down and enjoy a meal together at least 3 times a week, what would you say? If you simply cannot see how, then rethink the following:

* Wake up, job start and/or end times
* Location of where you work or live
* Certain scheduled activities that are always interfering.

You CAN do this. Take a no-excuses approach to making it happen.

2) Your kids only want chicken nuggets or sweet things.

Solution: If you do not provide junk food, your children will not have the option of eating it. If you you provide good food and they don’t want it that night, use a consistent rule that they must try it. 75% of the time, they’ll say, “Mmmm, that’s good!” However, if they don’t like it, thank them for trying and then let them eat whatever else has been served alongside and ignore the situation.

Another great idea is to keep the lower shelf of the fridge stocked with fruit, yogurt, and vegetable snacks so they can help themselves if they get hungry later.

3) You try to control their eating too much.

Solution: Nothing will bring up revolt quicker than a parent insisting a plate be finished. If you worry over every bite your child eats he/she will become a fussy eater. Remember: children want control over their lives. They quickly figure out that food is one area they can gain that control. Makes sense, right? If you don’t make a huge issue out of their food decisions, they won’t either.

4) Your kids aren’t open to trying new things or they will only eat “white” or “green” things.

Solution: Get your kids involved in cooking. When kids are active participants in the cooking of their food, they become more interested and excited about it. There is an incentive to try new things! What often happens is that kids will end up trying something they’ve often refused just because they were not being asked, told or forced to eat it.

I strongly believe that family meals should be for communicating and enjoying. Let’s offer healthy food, taking into consideration our children’s likes, and then let the rest of the meal flow.

How do you deal with the picky eaters in your life? Tell us in the comments below!

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Erin Kurt, B.Ed, spent 16 years as a teacher and nanny around the world. Now, she applies her expertise as a parenting expert and author of Juggling Family Life. You can learn more about Erin and her simple, loving parenting method, and subscribe to her weekly parenting tips e-zine at ErinParenting.com.

It’s common to hear adults talking about how stressed or overwhelmed they are, but do we hear from our children how they feel? Research finds that between 8 and 10% of North American children are seriously troubled by stress.

I’ll never forget a class meeting I shared with my students some 6 years ago. The students were discussing their feelings and all but 1 boy said, “I’m so stressed!” They were 8 and 9 years old. Probing them further, I asked, “Why?” Here is the short list of reasons they mentioned:

1. Too much homework (I must note that they mentioned subjects areas
outside of what I taught since I was always conscious about how much I
have and NEVER gave any over the weekends.)

2. Sibling Arguments

3. Too many extra-curricular activities ie. feeling overscheduled

4. Parent expectations

5. Home problems

6. Stressed out parents always yelling

It broke my heart to see these young souls sharing their stories of stress.

The only boy that day who wasn’t stressed called out emotionally, “I’m allowed to be a kid!” The room went silent. I asked him what he meant. He replied, still very emotional, “I get home from school, take a shower, put on my pajamas, do my homework, eat dinner, play or read then go to bed. I’m allowed to be a kid, Mrs. Kurt.” He was so right.

Today, our children sleep fewer hours, play fewer hours and spend time by themselves fewer hours than ever before. The result is that they are stressed, even children as young as 3 research shows! One researcher, Dr. Kim Payne, was shocked to return to the United States after having lived and worked in war torn countries helping children cope with post-traumatic stress. What he found was that North American children were exhibiting the same physical and emotional signs of stress as the children in the war torn countries.

How can you tell if your child is stressed? Here are some signs to look for:

Physical:

* reoccurring headaches, neckaches or backaches
* nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomachache
* shaky hands, sweaty palms
* bed wetting
* trouble sleeping/nightmares
* change in appetite
* frequent colds, fatigue

Emotional or Behavioural:

* new or reoccurring fears; anxiety and worries
* trouble concentrating; frequent daydreaming
* restlessness, irritability
* social withdrawal, unwillingness to participate in school or

Family Activities:
* moodiness
* nail biting, thumb sucking, hair twirling, foot tapping
* acting out, anger, tantrums
* regression to baby-like behaviours
* excessive whining or crying
* clinginess, won’t let you out of site

The best thing you can do is to discover the reason behind your child’s stress and then put a few things in place to improve the current dynamics. The step-by-step solutions will be discussed fully in my next article, going up tomorrow morning!

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Erin Kurt, B.Ed, spent 16 years as a teacher and nanny around the world. Now, she applies her expertise as a parenting expert and author of Juggling Family Life. You can learn more about Erin and her simple, loving parenting method, and subscribe to her weekly parenting tips e-zine at ErinParenting.com.

If I asked you what words come to mind when you think of your home, what would you say? Would you tell me that it brings you peace every time you walk in the front door? Would you say that the items in your home inspire you and bring you joy every time you look at them? Would you describe your household as organized and calm? A peaceful, calm household that is organized and filled with happiness and laughter is the type of home anyone would love to say they own. It is also the best type of home in which to raise a family. So, how do we ensure that we can describe our homes this way? It's actually easier than you think, but you must take the first step.