Full transcript
0:02Tantor Audio, a division of Recorded
0:04Books, presents Raising a Healthy, Happy
0:07Eater, a Parent's Handbook, second
0:09edition. Avoid picky eating, identify
0:12feeding problems, and inspire
0:15adventurous eating from birth to school
0:17age.
0:18By Nimali Fernando, MD, MPH, and Melanie
0:22Potock, MA, CCC-SLP.
0:26Foreword by Nancy E. Roman. Narrated by
0:29Terry Schnabelt.
0:31Publisher's note. This audiobook will
0:34refer to visual elements included in the
0:36print and ebook editions of the book.
0:39Additionally, this audiobook includes
0:41many references to recipes. Please have
0:44a piece of paper with a pen or pencil or
0:46a note-taking device available.
0:49This book contains the opinions and
0:51ideas of its authors. It is intended to
0:53provide helpful and informative material
0:56on the subjects addressed in the book.
0:58It is sold with the understanding that
1:00the authors and publisher are not
1:02engaged in rendering medical, health, or
1:05any other kind of personal professional
1:07services in the book.
1:09The authors and publisher specifically
1:10disclaim all responsibility for any
1:12liability, loss, or risk, personal or
1:15otherwise, that is incurred as a
1:17consequence, directly or indirectly, of
1:20the use and application of any of the
1:22contents of this book.
1:26Foreword by Nancy E. Roman.
1:29Throughout my career dedicated to ending
1:32hunger and improving nutrition at the
1:34international level, the community
1:36level, and now the national level, one
1:39trend has continued across the decades
1:41of change. Each year, we learn more
1:44about the incredible power of food to
1:46build health.
1:47Food has always been at the heart of our
1:49ability to thrive. As long ago as 1816,
1:53not long after nutrition science was
1:55born, we began to learn about the value
1:58of variety in diet. When Francois
2:01Magendie tried feeding a dog only sugar,
2:04then a second dog only butter, then a
2:06third dog only olive oil. Sadly, they
2:09didn't last long on those single food
2:11diets. Fast forward to 2005 and 2006,
2:16when we learned that food is central to
2:18our microbiome, which influences our
2:20health. By 2018, we developed a better
2:24understanding of how food affects
2:26depression and anxiety. And the power of
2:28food has never been more clear than in
2:312020, when COVID-19 crisscrossed the
2:34globe and our friends and neighbors
2:36began to succumb.
2:38Those with diet-related diseases faced
2:41the severest impacts.
2:43So yes, food has the power to build
2:45health and food has the power to take it
2:47away.
2:4830 years ago, even 10 years ago, we
2:51didn't appreciate the extent to which
2:53food could shape our brains, bodies,
2:56skin, immune system, mental health, and
2:59overall lives. But now we do. I call
3:02this development the burden of
3:04knowledge. Against this burden of
3:07knowledge, enter our earliest eaters,
3:10who come to us as blank slates. These
3:13snuggly bundles don't know what is good
3:16or bad for them. They know only hungry
3:18and sated until they begin to explore or
3:21fail to explore the wonderful world of
3:24flavor.
3:25Parents and caretakers play an outsized
3:28role in how these early years unfold and
3:31in establishing preferences and habits
3:33that can last a lifetime.
3:35Is it any accident that babies in Korea
3:38learn to eat kimchi and children in
3:40India eat curry and spicy food?
3:43My dear friend Jin Saito once marveled
3:46that his two-year-old loved the stinky
3:48beans or fermented beans of his native
3:50Japan.
3:52Parents and culture are what shape a
3:54child's attitude and openness toward
3:57food and in so doing lay their
4:00foundation for health.
4:02What a gift to get such sage and clear
4:04counsel from Nimalei Fernando, a
4:06pediatrician, and Melanie Potock, a
4:09feeding specialist, who both have
4:11extensive hands-on experience helping
4:13parents and children find their way
4:15toward diets that will help them thrive
4:18and become healthier adults.
4:20As a professional, I'm grateful for this
4:23book because we now know that our
4:25palates form in the earliest years.
4:27Helping children learn to love
4:29vegetables in particular will help build
4:32a healthier society with less disease.
4:35As a mother of two grown children, I can
4:37say this book would have saved me a lot
4:39of heartache and would have opened the
4:41door to some fun ideas.
4:43A fun approach is particularly important
4:45here in the United States, where our
4:48food culture is saturated with
4:50ultra-processed, brightly colored with
4:53dye, excessively sweetened, and
4:56over-marketed options. Parents are up
4:59against a lot.
5:00Thank you, Nimalei and Melanie, for
5:02making this journey easier for the next
5:04generation of parents and caretakers who
5:07are on a life-shaping adventure with
5:09those little people they love. There is
5:11nothing more important.
5:14Nancy E. Roman, President and CEO,
5:17Partnership for a Healthier America.
5:22Introduction Our Chicken Nugget World:
5:25Reality Bites
5:29This book is neither a critique of
5:31comfort food nor a condemnation of fast
5:34food. Our tone is one of compassion and
5:37camaraderie. We all share this world,
5:39and it's a world where Dr. Yummy's
5:41pediatrics office is flanked by a pair
5:44of fast food restaurants, and where
5:46Coach Mel taught her children to drink
5:48from a straw at one of America's most
5:50popular hamburger chains.
5:52While there are plenty of healthy kid
5:55food alternatives discussed in this
5:57book, the reality is that we authors and
6:00our own families have enjoyed a few
6:02chicken nuggets from time to time with
6:05extra sweet and sour sauce to boot.
6:07Frankly, it's part of the American
6:09culture to devour a hot dog at the
6:11ballpark or buttered popcorn at the
6:14movies.
6:15Healthy? No. Delicious? Of course. But
6:19for many of our kids today, eating like
6:22this isn't the occasional treat. They're
6:25bombarded with unhealthy foods from a
6:27very early age thanks to a society that
6:29has become focused on convenience,
6:32constant snacking, and meals on the run.
6:35Most of the food in our world is
6:36processed for longer shelf life and
6:39sacrifices nutrition for taste. And if
6:42you have a child who falls anywhere on
6:44the spectrum of picky eating, America's
6:46food culture reinforces this tasty treat
6:49eating pattern.
6:51In our fast-paced lives, it's easy to
6:53allow our children to overindulge or
6:56rely on unhealthy options because we
6:59know they'll enjoy them and,
7:00importantly, actually eat them.
7:03Even if you are the parent who has
7:04already started your child on the path
7:06to healthy eating, it may be only a
7:08matter of time before your kids are
7:10faced with the actuality of a junk food
7:13culture.
7:14Reality bites. It's a chicken nugget
7:16world out there, and it's unlikely to
7:19change overnight.
7:21Since writing the first edition of this
7:23book in 2015,
7:25we have been humbled by all the positive
7:27feedback. We have traveled far and wide
7:30and have met other professionals, from
7:32pediatricians to speech-language
7:34pathologists, who thank us for giving
7:36their patients a trusted guidebook.
7:39We hear from our own patients who tell
7:41how the book eased their worries about
7:43feeding issues in their children and or
7:45prevented issues in a second child.
7:48In this second edition, we updated a few
7:51guidelines and share new approaches and
7:53experiences that we hope you can learn
7:55from. It has been wonderful to revisit
7:58this book and all the ways it has helped
8:00families. We hope this edition will help
8:03even more of them.
8:05As healthcare professionals, we know
8:07firsthand that successfully teaching
8:09your children to eat healthy, whole
8:11foods is not just an exercise in
8:13parenting. That's what you are here to
8:16learn because you want your children to
8:18have the best chance of living a long
8:20and healthy life.
8:22Cardiovascular diseases, which include
8:24heart attacks and strokes, are the
8:26leading cause of mortality worldwide and
8:29one of the top modifiable risk factors
8:31is low fruit and vegetable intake.
8:34The blood vessel blockages that lead to
8:36stroke and heart attack do not typically
8:39start to develop as adults. Instead,
8:42numerous studies show these begin in
8:44childhood as fatty artery streaks and
8:46progress over a lifetime to more
8:49threatening plaques.
8:51Avoiding heart attacks and strokes are
8:53not the only reason we want our children
8:55to grow up eating well. The American
8:58Cancer Society reports that eating
8:59non-starchy vegetables and fruit may
9:02reduce the risk of many types of cancer,
9:04including lung, breast, colorectal,
9:07stomach, esophagus, and throat. Their
9:11guidelines for cancer prevention
9:12recommend healthy eating patterns at all
9:14ages and a healthy weight throughout
9:16life. These recommendations reflect that
9:19the risk for many types of cancers may
9:21be the outcome of cumulative results of
9:23eating habits started from childhood.
9:27If you're interested in exploring how to
9:29raise adventurous eaters, then this book
9:31is for you. We know that the process of
9:34raising a great eater can feel
9:36overwhelming for any parent, but for
9:38families on a tight budget, it may seem
9:41even more daunting.
9:42We believe that all parents are able to
9:44raise a great eater. In this book, we
9:47provide specific strategies to help
9:49overcome barriers to eating well as a
9:51family. We'll walk you through the
9:53developmental process of how children
9:55learn to eat foods of all kinds over
9:57time, and we'll help you expand your
10:00child's diet.
10:01We'll show how to use parenting
10:03strategies that work both in and out of
10:06the kitchen. You may be surprised to
10:08learn that improving the eating habits
10:09of the adults in your child's life can
10:12help raise a lifelong healthy eater.
10:15So, let's bring back family dinners.
10:17Let's learn to identify feeding problems
10:19before our kids fall into the picky
10:22eater trap. Let's pay attention to what
10:24we can do as parents to make a
10:26difference for our kids nutritionally,
10:29physically, and emotionally. Together,
10:32we can create a new world that's a more
10:34balanced place to live. Let's create a
10:36culture of wellness for our kids and for
10:39our communities.
10:41That's why we're here, to guide you on
10:43the path to raising healthy, happy
10:46eaters.
10:50How to use this book.
10:53Keep an eye out for these symbols
10:55throughout the book, which will help
10:57guide you as you travel on your journey
10:59to healthier, joyful mealtimes with your
11:01entire family.
11:03Nimali Fernando and D, aka Dr. Yum, is
11:07the leader of the track. She's a
11:09pediatrician who loves to teach how
11:11fresh, real food is essential for a
11:13child's health and well-being. Dr. Yum
11:16will help guide you with tips about
11:18child development, children's nutrition,
11:20how to introduce new foods, and how to
11:23have lots of fun along the way. She'll
11:25be including stories from her own
11:26experience working with parents who want
11:28to raise adventurous eaters. In fact,
11:31she's got a teaching kitchen and garden
11:33right in her pediatric office in
11:35Virginia. She's your pediatrician in the
11:39kitchen.
11:40Melanie Potock, aka Coach Mel, is Dr.
11:44Yummy's fearless associate who
11:46understands how to encourage the more
11:48hesitant eaters in your family to
11:50participate in food exploration. In real
11:53life, Coach Mel is an experienced kids
11:55food coach and international speaker who
11:58teaches both parents and professionals
12:01and a certified speech language
12:02pathologist who specializes in working
12:05with selective and picky eaters.
12:08Parent Joyfully, seven different
12:11passport stamps alert you to unique
12:13parenting concepts that can be used in
12:15the kitchen to raise an adventurous
12:17eater. You might be surprised when these
12:19parenting mantras spill over into other
12:22areas of your life, helping you to raise
12:24a brave, joyful, and compassionate
12:27child, too.
12:29The print edition has a magnifying glass
12:31that offers a closer look at any topic,
12:35pointing you toward more focused
12:36information if you wish to explore a
12:38particular topic in greater detail.
12:41You can skip it or listen to it later.
12:43It's up to you.
12:46A globe illustrates the What Kids Eat
12:48Around the World sections, where we
12:51explore the wonderful varieties of food
12:53that kids from different countries eat
12:56and encourage you to expose your
12:57children to some exciting and diverse
12:59food. We even include unique recipes
13:02from various cultures for you to make
13:04with your kids. It's fun to look beyond
13:06the typical Western palate and offer
13:09food with a range of flavors and
13:11nutrient profiles. Just like traveling,
13:14learning to be an adventurous eater
13:15means experiencing new things.
13:20One,
13:21the start of your child's food journey,
13:24parenting the whole child.
13:28Helping families feed their children is
13:30more than our daily work. It's our daily
13:33love. To see a child pick up the
13:35broccoli they hate and finally put it in
13:37their mouth and smile is what makes us
13:40tick. We are Dr. Nimali Fernando, known
13:43as Dr. Yum, and Melanie Potock, Coach
13:46Mel. Two moms who happen to have careers
13:49that focus on family meal times. Dr. Yum
13:52is a pediatrician who teaches her
13:53patients' families how to prepare a
13:55healthy diet and thereby prevent
13:58illness.
13:59Coach Mel is a certified speech language
14:01pathologist with a unique specialty.
14:03She's a food coach. Most importantly, we
14:07are parents like you who are invested in
14:09raising healthy eaters despite living in
14:12a chicken nugget world.
14:15What am I making for supper? Why,
14:16sweetie, I'm making whatever the hell I
14:18want served with a side of eat it or
14:21starve.
14:22And Tainter Inc.
14:24Melanie.
14:26That's the way I was raised. Liver and
14:28onions, potato chip tuna casserole
14:30straight out of Women's Day, and Jell-O
14:33ambrosia as a special treat. Eat it or
14:36starve.
14:37We had never heard of food allergies,
14:39giving up gluten, or God forbid, not
14:42drinking four glasses of milk daily.
14:45My relationship with my mom and dad
14:47centered on nightly family dinners
14:49served sharply at 1800 military time.
14:52That's 6:00 p.m. for you civilians,
14:55which started with a prayer and ended
14:57with me doing the dishes.
15:00Nimali.
15:01For me, growing up in a Sri Lankan
15:03American family, home-cooked meals were
15:06a tradition. My mother adapted her
15:08cooking to American styles as we grew
15:10up. She rotated meals of meatloaf and
15:13potatoes between rice and curry dishes,
15:15but there was always a home-cooked
15:17dinner on the table.
15:19As a child, helping my mom and siblings
15:22prepare food gave me a great foundation
15:24of basic cooking skills, as well as an
15:27appreciation for how precious time in
15:29the kitchen with family can be.
15:32For many families today, the scenario
15:34looks rather different. According to a
15:36study out of UCLA, working parents are
15:39relying on convenience foods and acting
15:41as short order cooks to appease picky
15:44appetites at home. Parents don't want to
15:46disappoint anyone when it comes to meal
15:48times, especially their kids.
15:51The parent-child relationship is often
15:53based on keeping conflict to a minimum.
15:56While many American families still eat
15:58dinner together, CBS researchers
16:01discovered that they do so in the
16:03company of the TV and or while texting
16:06or emailing on their personal gadgets.
16:09Parents and their children are more
16:11disconnected. Today's family meal times
16:14occur less frequently with fewer
16:16opportunities for emotional connections
16:18and family bonding, and with more
16:20occasions to be distracted by
16:22technology.
16:24Times have also changed when it comes to
16:26children's health. With the decline in
16:28home-cooked meals, increased reliance on
16:31convenience foods, including packaged
16:33foods and fast food, and decreased
16:35physical activity, it's no surprise that
16:38childhood obesity rates are higher than
16:40ever. According to a 2018 USDA report,
16:44America's eating habits, food eaten away
16:46from home, the percentage of Americans
16:49spending on food away from home
16:51increased steadily compared to food at
16:53home. In 2010, the amount of spending on
16:57food away from home overtook that of
17:00spending on food at home and continued
17:03to increase until 2017.
17:06The report also cites that food away
17:08from home is higher in fat, salt, and
17:11overall calories, and often these meals
17:14contain fewer fruits and vegetables,
17:16contributing to obesity rates.
17:19Unfortunately, obesity is just the tip
17:22of the iceberg. Many children suffer
17:24from other diet-related illnesses
17:27despite a normal BMI.
17:29Symptoms like poor concentration, lack
17:32of energy, gastroesophageal reflux, and
17:35chronic constipation may be linked to a
17:38poor diet.
17:40These programs can then lead to a list
17:42of other issues.
17:43Consider a school-aged child who eats a
17:46fiberless diet of the usual kid-friendly
17:49food, such as pepperoni pizza and
17:51hamburgers. This diet may lead to
17:54chronic constipation, which can lead to
17:56bed-wetting and urinary tract
17:58infections. A child who continues to wet
18:00the bed after a certain age could begin
18:03to suffer from poor self-esteem and
18:05anxiety.
18:07Anxiety medication may seem like the
18:09answer to this problem, but better
18:11nutrition can resolve all of the
18:13symptoms.
18:15As a pediatrician, Dr. Yum sees
18:17scenarios like this every day. If we
18:20just connect the dots, so many medical
18:23issues can be traced back to diet.
18:26A rise in childhood feeding disorders is
18:29also contributing to our nation's
18:30nutrition crisis. At least 25% of
18:33typically developing children are
18:35diagnosed with a feeding disorder,
18:38defined as the inability to eat a
18:39sufficient variety of foods in order to
18:42maintain a healthy nutritional status.
18:45Feeding disorders are distinct from
18:47certain eating disorders like anorexia
18:50or bulimia, which center on body image.
18:54Feeding disorders encompass the act of
18:56feeding a child and the child's
18:58willingness to participate. Many
19:00consider the picky eating epidemic to be
19:03a result of the dramatic rise in food
19:05allergies and intolerances.
19:08Other contributing factors may include
19:10sensory integration challenges, the
19:13increases in premature births and
19:15autism, the evolution of the two-income
19:18family and subsequent changes in family
19:20lifestyles, or well-intentioned but
19:23misguided parenting.
19:25The truth is, parents want answers. As
19:29we have found in our practices, they're
19:31asking for tools to parent in the
19:33kitchen. They want to know how to bring
19:35back family dinner time, how to connect
19:38with their children over delicious,
19:39healthy food, and how to encourage their
19:42most hesitant children to become
19:44adventurous eaters.
19:47Feeding your child is an activity packed
19:49with emotions. It's about nurturing,
19:52loving, and being a responsible parent.
19:55Food is love in so many ways, but when
19:59your child has eating difficulties, life
20:02takes an unexpected turn, and mealtimes
20:04become the most stressful periods of the
20:07day.
20:08Feeding troubles may begin with
20:10breastfeeding challenges, during the
20:12transition to solid foods, or maybe even
20:15later down the road. At some point,
20:18picky eater may become a common term in
20:20your family's vocabulary. And let's face
20:23it, whether your child's an adventurous
20:25eater or a hesitant one, we're living in
20:28a chicken nugget world. Fast food and
20:30the same old kids menus appear at every
20:32corner, and parents fall right into the
20:35kid food trap, a mire of macaroni and
20:38cheese, french fries, and burgers.
20:41Exasperated parents are quick to rely on
20:43the one strategy that they know will
20:45work. Just give them some nuggets,
20:47they'll always eat those.
20:49Before long, vegetables and other
20:51nutritious foods simply don't appear on
20:53the child's plate anymore. After all,
20:55parents wonder, why be wasteful? The kid
20:58won't eat them anyway.
21:00Having a child who doesn't eat like his
21:01peers or another sibling can be
21:04maddening. As one mother told Coach Mel,
21:08"When you have a picky eater, you have
21:09so many opportunities to fail as a
21:11parent, starting with breakfast, lunch,
21:14and dinner."
21:16Why will one child eat anything and
21:18everything, yet for another, the world
21:21comes to an end if you put green beans
21:23on his plate?
21:24The answer to that question is
21:26complicated, but Raising a Healthy Happy
21:29Eater will break it down step-by-step so
21:32that you consider all the factors that
21:34impact your child as they build their
21:36eating skills. Learning to suck, bite,
21:39chew, and swallow a variety of foods
21:42easily, with interest and enthusiasm, is
21:45part of child development, but it's
21:48really about parenting, too. And if
21:50you've taken the time to open this book,
21:52pat yourself on the back. You have taken
21:55an important step in ensuring that your
21:57parenting skills attend to every aspect
22:00of your child's life, including
22:02mealtimes.
22:05Having a consistent approach to
22:07mealtimes can help avoid so many of the
22:09feeding issues children encounter. The
22:12techniques you'll find in this book may
22:14be different from what you're used to.
22:16One's parenting style usually comes from
22:19a mix of life experience, family
22:21background, culture, and the community
22:24around us. To learn to parent
22:26differently from what you've been shown
22:27for years takes effort and practice, and
22:31can feel strange at first. However,
22:33shifting your parenting style,
22:35especially during mealtimes, can spill
22:38over into other aspects of family life
22:40in a very positive way. When mealtime
22:42experiences are more pleasant, time away
22:45from the table becomes more pleasant,
22:47too. The opposite is true, as well. When
22:50family life is running smoothly,
22:52mealtimes tend to be a happy time for
22:54everyone.
22:55Let's take the example of limit testing.
22:58Around the ages of 3 to 5, children can
23:01constantly and deliberately test limits
23:03trying to map the boundaries of
23:05appropriate behaviors.
23:07Themes like, "If I cry and scream, will
23:09I get what I want?" or "How many times
23:12do I have to ask for this toy before
23:14Mommy will change her mind?"
23:16frequently run through a preschooler's
23:18head. Understanding this stage of
23:20development, we realize that being
23:22consistent and setting boundaries are
23:25key to helping a child map out those
23:27limits in the most efficient way.
23:30This approach is just as applicable to
23:32other aspects of life.
23:34When a child is having a hard time going
23:35to preschool, seasoned teachers know
23:38that a quick morning drop-off makes for
23:40the easiest transition despite the
23:43initial tears it may cause.
23:45If parents linger at the door or spend
23:47time in the classroom with the child to
23:49try to make it easier, the transition
23:51can become confusing and prolong the
23:54child's adjustment.
23:56In the same way, having clear,
23:58consistent rules about eating can help
24:00kids adjust to new foods. On the
24:03contrary, not setting rules and limits
24:05at this age may create a resistance to
24:07new foods, further prolonging your
24:10child's path to a healthy diet. Whether
24:13parenting in the kitchen or outside of
24:15it, don't forget to have fun. Joy is so
24:18essential when interacting with
24:20children. Too often as parents, we can
24:23get stuck feeling like all our decisions
24:25are incredibly important and that if we
24:28make a mistake, we won't have an
24:30opportunity to fix it.
24:32For many parents, this pressure can take
24:34the joy out of parenting, but a positive
24:37attitude is essential and in our
24:39experience, it's the main ingredient to
24:41raising an adventurous eater. It's the
24:44secret sauce, so to speak. You will
24:46notice that fun comes in different ways
24:48throughout the book.
24:50Taking the time to giggle at the sound
24:52of the broccoli squeaking makes for a
24:54happier, more willing broccoli eater. As
24:57you enjoy your child's journey toward
24:59adventurous eating, you may find that
25:01child blossoming into a junior foodie.
25:04While that journey does not always
25:05happen quickly, enjoy all of the
25:07accomplishments and experiences of
25:09today.
25:12As feeding professionals, we see a wide
25:14range of children, each one with his or
25:16her distinct eating preferences and food
25:19journeys. This is true even within our
25:21own families. We each have two children
25:24vastly different from one another in
25:26many ways, including their journeys with
25:28food.
25:30Parents tend to have initial
25:31expectations about how their child will
25:33learn to eat. And if it is their second
25:36child, those expectations may be heavily
25:38influenced by the experiences with their
25:41first.
25:42Sometimes it creates pressure, and
25:44parents blame themselves when children
25:46don't progress in the way that they had
25:48imagined. It's easier to wonder why your
25:50child isn't eating, learning, or
25:52speaking as well as an older sibling or
25:55a friend's kid. But remember that every
25:58child is different, and there is joy to
26:00be found in each step of a child's
26:02journey.
26:04If your first child was a relatively
26:05adventurous eater and didn't go through
26:07any picky phases, you may be surprised
26:10if your second child refuses many foods.
26:13Just know that you can still enjoy the
26:15baby steps it sometimes takes to help
26:17that child along, and that no two
26:20children will ever be exactly the same.
26:23Parenting the whole child, body, brain,
26:25and soul, is a concept vital to our
26:28philosophy. Learning to be an
26:30adventurous eater involves the entire
26:32body, including gross motor skills, fine
26:35motor skills, and cognitive development,
26:38plus an emotional component. As parents,
26:42you have the honor of serving as your
26:44child's guide on this spectacular
26:46journey.
26:47We'll share information about how your
26:49baby, toddler, or young child's
26:51development directly influences the type
26:54of eater she'll be and more importantly
26:57how you can support her to be the best
26:59eater she can be at each stage.
27:01From food choices during pregnancy to
27:04your child's first bites of solid food,
27:07from preparing dinners to spending meal
27:09times with your child, we hope to help
27:11you make the kitchen and the wonderful
27:13food that comes out of it the heart of
27:15your family.
27:18Your parenting passport.
27:21Throughout this book you'll find seven
27:23parenting strategies to keep in mind so
27:25that you and your child both thrive on
27:28the road to adventurous eating.
27:30By following these guides, you'll
27:32nourish your child not just
27:33nutritionally but emotionally, too.
27:36In essence, these strategies comprise
27:39your parenting passport represented by
27:41passport stamps that remind you of the
27:44right direction to take.
27:46These stamps serve as prompts to help
27:48you navigate challenges along the way.
27:51Parent joyfully. Celebrate each step in
27:54this journey. Like any adventure, the
27:56more fun you bring to the experience,
27:58the better. Remember, family meal times
28:01are about the family experience more
28:04than the meal itself. We'll walk you
28:06through the steps your child can take to
28:08become a lifelong adventurous eater.
28:11Parent compassionately.
28:13Understanding your child's developmental
28:15stage allows you to put yourself in his
28:18shoes, enabling you to parent both
28:21respectfully and effectively. In many
28:24parenting challenges, a respectful and
28:26caring approach can guide the child
28:28while sustaining his unique spirit. Meal
28:31times are the perfect opportunity to
28:33adopt this philosophy.
28:36Parent bravely.
28:38With any new experience, it's natural to
28:41feel a bit scared, especially if this is
28:43your first child. But we never want fear
28:46to be a roadblock to moving forward.
28:48Armed with the knowledge of how children
28:50learn to eat, you'll feel brave. Plus,
28:53you'll learn to expect the natural ebb
28:55and flow of feeding.
28:57Parent patiently. Waiting is a magic
29:01parenting technique. Although you are
29:04your child's guide, your role is to show
29:07her the way, not pull her along. We'll
29:10give you tips on how to patiently
29:11observe your child and allow her to find
29:14her way while boosting the motor skills
29:16directly related to eating.
29:19Parent proactively. Understanding what
29:22comes next in your child's development
29:25is the key to proactive parenting. Like
29:27any other road trip, it's a good idea to
29:29know what's around the corner and how
29:32you react to what you encounter is up to
29:34you. By anticipating the next steps
29:37during mealtime experiences, you can set
29:40your child up for success.
29:42Parent consistently. Your child will
29:45thrive on knowing specific boundaries
29:48and will respond to your gentle,
29:50consistent guidance throughout his life.
29:53Consistency is crucial for building new
29:55skills and habits effectively,
29:57especially when you're gathered around
29:59the family
30:00>> Sample complete. Ready to continue?