Accompanying sleep at the top of the parenting pyramid is food/eating. When children eat, how much they eat, what they eat or what they don’t eat, are all frequent concerns for parents.
In a child care setting, Infants sit in high chairs or other specialized seating specifically for Infants which securely supports them. While Toddlers and Preschoolers use age appropriate tables and chairs.
In an Infant Program, children are encouraged to feed themselves, either with their hands or a spoon. In Toddler and Preschool Programs, children are expected to feed themselves with occasional support from an Educator. If your child is unable to feed themselves due to a medical issue, speak with the Educators to figure out the best way to support your child.
It is not possible for each child to be individually fed by an Educator, and independent eating gives children control over what goes into their body. Through this independence they gain confidence, as well as enjoyment from mealtimes.
An Infant will only be given foods that the child’s parent(s) have previously introduced and confirmed are safe for the child to eat. The Educators will not introduce new foods to a child before the child’s parent(s) have introduced the food at home first.
While sitting for mealtimes, give your child time to practise feeding themselves; time to explore food and try new flavours and textures. Try to make mealtimes a relaxing, shared experience.
A great resource for food related questions: https://www.janetlansbury.com/tag/mealtimes/
Keep smiling everyone : )