Peace Meal

The Very Healthy Caterpillar

As most parents of preschool-age children know, the dining room table can become a battlefield pitting will versus coercion. According to Ellyn Satter, author of Child of Mine; Feeding with Love and Good Sense, the persistence of such a dynamic serves neither the child nor her parents well. A strong-arm approach can lead to resentment, a resentment the child would not likely reserve solely for the spinaches or broccolis of her world. Satter reasons that children need positive feeding to eat and grow well, and so mealtimes need to be pleasant experiences for all.

To that end, Satter recommends that parents forgo the time-honored tradition of forced feedings, and instead pursue the option that trusts that the child will eat what she needs, not just what she wants. And so our table at mealtime now resembles a buffet line, one that allows Olivia the freedom to select a variety of food options. One week does not a trend make, but if we can consistently achieve the results we’ve had the past several days, we’re on our way toward healthier meals and happier mealtimes.