Eating is allowed to be about relationship again – not discipline.
Clear roles
- Parents decide what, when and where food is served.
- Children decide whether and how much they eat.
- This clarity of roles takes a lot of pressure out.
Gentle everyday ideas
- A calm atmosphere: phone away, table clear, no TV in the background.
- Offer disliked foods again without comment – becoming familiar takes time.
- Let them spoon, pour and cut on their own – even when it gets messy.
When worries stay
- For significant weight loss, constant refusal or frequent gagging: talk to your paediatrician or a nutrition specialist.
- For a very narrow range of foods: occupational or speech-and-language therapy support can do a lot of good.
Your child isn't eating "against" you – usually they're simply not quite ready yet.