Our grandmothers said: "You'll sit at the table as if you were in paradise." They attached great importance not only to the quality of the dishes they cooked, but also to the culture of eating. Not long ago the tradition of home or Sunday family meals where, for a leisurely meal, business, plans were made for the future, the problems of the household were being solved, but the times had changed, the speedy century had been supplanted, both the habit of eating normally and the tradition of gathering together. In a state of constant haste, it is difficult for a person to relax, time for a good rest, even at home.It can be said that the same drinking family conversations were real sessions of psychotherapy, where everyone found answers to their questions, received support and comfort.Now this is not the case.The standards of life naturally extend to all family members , including small children.The right approach to catering and the table (in the broad sense of the word) will help the kids not only master elementary cultural habits, but also grow healthier and happier. Now let's talk about everything in order.
Why do not you eat?
Let's start with our mistakes, because it is we, parents, who most often become the cause of many childhood problems. And sometimes even there is no opportunity to look at yourself from outside and evaluate your own actions. We will not delve into dietetics in detail, it is better to pay attention to how our baby eats. After all, many mothers sooner or later think about the question of how to teach the child to eat independently.
In many families in the kitchen, along with a stove and a refrigerator, TV works no less diligently. Sometimes we can not imagine without him a Sunday lunch, and sometimes it happens that the TV accompanies us constantly, creating a pleasant noise background. But is he needed a small child? Quite often mothers complain that the kid does not want to eat without cartoons, and when he is absorbed in their story, it is quite easy for the mother to "shove" everything that is necessary in her baby. As a result of this attachment, the baby fundamentally breaks the connection between hunger, satiety and the food becomes an entertaining session and is poorly absorbed because the body is not at the moment fully tuned for digestion.The kid swallows quickly and chews badly, and as a consequence, he may have serious disturbances in the work of the food processor hydrochloric system.
Another "pebble in our kitchen garden" is the lack of a catering regime for a small gourmet. Recently, a fashion for "free" upbringing and life outside the regime has appeared. Parents, guided by authoritative opinions, believe that the child himself feels when and what he should do, and interfere with his schedule - only to violate the natural balance. It can not be denied that there is a certain amount of truth in this approach, and even a big one. However, everything is good in moderation. Do not forget the other truth: our body works like a clock. It is easier for him to perform the same actions at about the same time. So much less useful energy is consumed and there is a lot of time to learn new and interesting. When the baby eats only on his own, the body can not foresee the intervals between meals. He begins to spend more economically the previous stock, gives less energy so important for growing crumbs. As a result, the baby may become lethargic, distracted and irritable.
Perhaps, the most important error of parents - almost all of them, one way or another, put additional meaning into food.
Food trying to adjust the behavior of the baby. Children are encouraged for good behavior and successes ("You will quietly behave - buy your favorite bun!"), Blackmailing ("If you do not stop, you will not get anything!"). Food is even punished and threatened ("I did not listen - now eat your soup, and your dessert I'll give obedient children!") This is really scary ... Kids get used to everything very quickly, because most of them have long (and why not, with them, in fact, do the same?) The value of food and its main (and in fact the only) meaning is blurred, replaced and lost. And, of course, Perhaps, the stomach does not suffer from this, but the personality of the growing child suffers. Characteristics of crumbs, there are those traits that certainly parents would not like to see in their child, for example, greed, cunning .But we will not blame the kids for this, they just accept our rules of the game, and we will not waste extra time for contrition our own mistakes are made by all, we just have to deal with their elimination (if there is something to eliminate) and prevention.
Cozy nest
It is necessary not only for the arrangement of the nursery, but also in the kitchen, where the crumb makes its first gastronomic discoveries. External comfort disposes and adjusts the body to use those items that are in front of us, whether it's a pillow, plaid or cutlery. First the baby has his own bottle. As soon as the karapuz got the first tooth - it's time to expand this list of subjects. Give the baby a set of dishes, beautiful and practical, several different spoons (rubber, plastic, silver), aprons, napkins, soft towels, a litter under the plate - the baby should have everything of its own, beautiful and bright. Now we choose a place for a highchair. The child should sit at a common table (albeit with his countertop) and so that nothing can distract him from the plate. Attention of growing gourmets is still unstable, and they are very easily distracted. So, it's best to exclude the TV from the "baby's" zone, the view of the entrance door and the window too large.If the high chair is near the wall, hang a picture next to the baby, for example, where the bear cub is eating honey, or put a towel next to the dish and wipe the hands before eating and After .This reception will be a "beacon", reminiscent of a crumb of food and helping to tune it. Even when you feed the baby with a spoon, let next to him lies another one, prompting him to take the initiative and take it in his hands. Of course, eating a separate meal is an additional headache for the mother, because neatness will not come to crumb very soon. But pull yourself together and try not to pay attention to pieces of food and puddles of soup around.
It is very important for the kid to learn to eat himself and see that you only encourage and rejoice at it.
If we talk about the dishes themselves, it makes sense to pay attention to the age from which it is recommended to give this or that product. The fact is that the stomach and the entire digestive system is constantly evolving: it varies in size, is populated with beneficial bacteria. Following the recommendations of the introduction of complementary foods and the first sample of dishes, you definitely do not harm the health of the youngster and do not beat him to hunt something to study "on the teeth" (suggesting, for example, too early large pieces of food or food with a bright spicy taste).
And even if you regularly hear on the playground how someone (such a fine fellow!) Eats sausages with ketchup in a year, and celebrated the biennial at McDonald's, you should not be knocked out of the right way. "The baby's health is in your hands, and it will be better for him if you do not hurry.
When I eat ...
The culture of nutrition is in fact no less important than the quality of foods or the state of satiety. Get used to it better, too, in advance. Rather, it must live with the first "real" meal, then do not have to retrain and spend time and effort on it.To teach the crumb better gradually and without fanaticism.Huge role is played by a personal example.Thus, before taking on the child's upbringing, critically evaluate yourself.
A good help can be books and pictures depicting your favorite characters and animals. Read the story kid or make up your own stories, which talk about how the animals love to eat and how they do it.
Tell the baby how to eat properly: do not rush, do not stuff your mouth full, chew every bit. And that the crumb was more fun and clear, read him a joke (for example, mice chewed, chewed, chewed, chewed well and grains swallowed). Get a permanent ritual of eating: before meals and after meals you need to wash your hands, you can get up from the table only when your mother allows, after lunch you must thank your parents. These simple rules will give the necessary mood for food and create a good mood for all members of the family. At 2-2.5 years old babies are already fully capable of performing at least some of these actions.
Perhaps someone will feel that there is no point in eating so seriously. And yet, let's not forget that the proper intake of food can give not only satiety, but also a sense of satisfaction with life, calmness, help relieve tension. Give yourself and your baby a separate time to eat and socialize at the table, then a quiet life is guaranteed to you. And your growing gourmet will appreciate this.