Children and their eating habits are always a topic of conversation in my office. Most children go through phases when they are extremely picky and it starts during the toddler years. Picky eating is a normal part of child development. Your job as a parent is to provide your children with healthy, well-balanced meals. Your child's job is to decide whether or not to eat it. Sounds simple enough, right? But, many parents find themselves giving in to a picky eater. Some parents feel like they are short order cooks at mealtime trying to please everyone. Remember, your house is not a restaurant. My advice to parents? Don't feed the problem! Ignore it from the start. You control the groceries list and stock the pantry. You should let everyone in on meal planning so that every child can pick one meal per week that they "like".Try to prepare an assortment of foods with each meal so that each child can find something on their plate that they might like. Don't forget milk they should be drinking milk with every meal. Once the meal prepared, make the "no substitution rule". Let your child know that they don't have to eat, but that having meals together is part of being a family. Hang in there, it may take many months and lots of unhappy faces at the table, but over time you'll notice your child trying some foods you never dreamed they would. If they are REALLY hungry they will try a variety of new foods. Trust me...I've been there. I'm Dr. Sue with The Kid's Doctor helping parents take charge.
Dr.
Sue Hubbard is an award winning pediatrician and medical editor for
www.kidsdr.com. She is a native of Washington, D.C. who travelled south
to attend the University of Texas at Austin and never left. 
