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Let’s Talk About: Tips To Get Your Kids To Eat

This post is sponsored by Lil Miss Appleseed but all photos and opinions are my own.

You know you’ve been there. You’ve spent all afternoon picking out groceries at the store and then come home and cook a healthy and delicious meal for your family only to find your child won’t eat it. You feel like all of the effort you made went to waste. Then you are left with debating whether or not to let you let your little one go to bed hungry or accommodate them and make them something else. You aren’t alone. I’ve been there and so have millions of other moms.

So what do you do?

First stay calm. Then give your child a choice. Tell them they can eat what you made or eat a healthy alternative. You don’t need to make them an entirely different meal. In fact, they won’t go hungry even if they skip a meal. So don’t worry. Give them another option like a banana, a almond butter sandwich, or yogurt with fruit and granola. Make sure you don’t give them options like pizza, grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets. Some children are simply picky eaters. Others just don’t want to even try new foods or foods they have deemed not good enough for them. Texture, taste, smell, color, and or size may home something to do with it. Eating is a sensory experience and stimulates multiple sensory receptors at the same time. Finding the right recipe means more than the right ingredients, it means the right combination of preferences. Eating preferred foods over non-preferred foods can be quite a challenge but here are some tips that may help!

Make Eating Into a Game: Does it surprise you that I incorporate play into mealtime? All you need is a kitchen timer or an equivalent like your phone. Set the timer for 2 minutes. Set up a paper plate or a piece of paper in front of your child. Mark a start line on one side of the paper. If it isn’t too messy, have them play a food race with the food on their plate. The carrots can race the chicken. The fish can race the potatoes. Whichever food item that passes the finish line, their mouth, is the one they will eat first! I give them two minutes so they won’t eat too quickly and also to give them time to convince themselves to actually eat the item/s!

Food Sticker Chart: Make your child wanting more! Children love to have anything they can’t have. So put only a little bit of food on the plate at one time. This will help not to overwhelm your child when eating and also stir an innate desire to have more! Maybe if they ask for seconds, they get a treat! Positive reinforcement can go a long way, so use it to your advantage. Maybe even have a special sticker chart where they can earn stickers for each time they try a new food or each time they finish their dinner!

Let Them Be The Chef: Let them pick out the vegetable for one meal each week when you are at the grocery store. There are a lot of food books out on the market and they can help educate your child on various vegetables to choose from when they get to the store. They will start associating various vegetables from their book when they are at the store and get excited to want to try them. You may even let them to pick out a entire meal once a week for the family! It is quite the responsibility. Just like getting line leader at school, they can be dinner helper at home! Maybe you can even let them help you cook their vegetable or meal in the kitchen with you!

Use Toys and Techniques: When we make pasta with zucchini in it, we say that they are green gems that have been found from hidden treasure. The kids search their pasta for the hidden gems and it makes eating them more fun. Maybe your child has a favorite show or character that you can play off of to help them eat. Sometimes we will have Mickey Mouse pretend to call them on their play phone asking them to help him with a special mission to eat their food. Sometimes it helps to have our daughter dress up in a princess dress or costume so it’s not her eating the vegetables but Cinderella who loves vegetables instead. You can even utilize puppets if need be to help convince your child to eat!

In our home, we use all of these tools on any given day. We have to mix it up to make them work. The same tool won’t work each time. And sometimes none of them will work and we just have to be patient and find another alternative that works for our family. Our rule is they have to at least take one bite of each food on their plate. Many times that’s all they have of whatever vegetable they are given, but they are constantly being exposed to different foods, tastes, smells, and textures, and eventually they may take more than one bite! The key is to be consistent!

I also know how messy eating can be. And even though my daughter is too old for bibs, my son still uses them all the time! In fact, he even uses them when he’s not eating. He has been wearing bandana bibs lately because he is getting his two-year molars in and has been drooling quite a bit. He even wears them sometimes as a fashion statement.

Our favorite bandana style bibs are ones from Lil Miss Appleseed. They are so soft and made of 100% two-layer combed cotton on one side and 100% fleece on the other side! These bibs are unique because the material undergoes an additional step during manufacturing to make it softer, stronger, and smoother than regular cotton.



Photo: By Chrissy Walther Photography 

The owner, Heather Gonio, is a working mom and performing artist from the Seattle area. After having her daughter, who is now 4, she developed a passion for children, babies, motherhood, and helping other moms. For years she researched ways to make a stable income doing what she is truly passionate about, where she can help other moms and children on their journeys. Eventually, she came across many success stories of people building their own brands and using the power of Amazon to promote them, launching their products on the platform and leveraging the millions of online shoppers who already live there. So earlier this year, she decided to create her own brand of baby products. When searching for the name, she decided to use her daughter as inspiration. When she had her very first ultrasound after becoming pregnant, the technician told her and her husband that she was the size of an appleseed, and so they began calling her Lil Miss Appleseed until they found out she was a girl! How fun is that? 

Creating Lil Miss Appleseed isn’t just about creating bibs or products. It is about creating a brand that represents all the goodness and magic that babies and children believe in. She can’t say exactly where the brand will go over the next few months or years, but she hopes to create something that will make people smile. Having a child for her has been the most eye-opening, life-changing experience of her life. To see the world through a child’s eyes is a true gift. Lil Miss Appleseed sees the world as it could be and not as it is; like Lil Miss Appleseed, she hopes that her bibs add a touch of fun and magic to a baby’s day.

I just love supporting mom entrepreneurs. Moms support other moms and that’s how the world goes ’round! And I love supporting baby products that I love. These stylish bandana bibs have the most fun patterns that are great for boys and girls! And the best part is that the colors don’t fade even after multiple washes. And they are so easy to snap on and stay on! These bibs are super absorbent and easy to take with you on the go. They easily fit in your diaper bag and barely take up any room at all. I practically have them all over my house and my car.

You can order an 8 pack on Amazon for less than $14. You can buy it for yourself or they make an excellent baby shower gift! And make sure to sign up for their newsletter for updates! And head back to my Facebook and or Instagram now to WIN A PACK OF 8 BIBS FOR YOURSELF!!!

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Hello! I am Dr. Kim and I am The Parentologist! I am first and foremost a wife and a mom. I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. I hope through my professional and personal experience we can collaborate with each other on how to better ourselves and our relationships with our families and our children.

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TODAY.com Parenting Team Parenting Contributor

About Dr. Kim

Hello! I am Dr. Kim and I am The Parentologist! I am first and foremost a wife and a mom. I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. I hope through my professional and personal experience we can collaborate with each other on how to better ourselves and our relationships with our families and our children. Read More…

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🇺🇸 What a monumental day in history we had t 🇺🇸 What a monumental day in history we had today! 🇺🇸

As soon as we woke up I started educating my children, specifically my daughter, on what the inauguration meant and why today was such a special day in history. We both were glued to the television as we watched @kamalaharris be sworn in as the first Black South Asian woman Vice President and @joebiden be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. We also were powerfully moved hearing @amandascgorman - the youngest inaugural poet in history recite “The Hill We Climb.” 

My daughter was so excited to participate and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the rest of the county and she was so proud to see and be a part of history in the making. I haven’t been to Washington D.C. in about 8 years but I promised I would take her one day when the pandemic is over. 

In the meantime, I have a fun fact for you! Did you know that President Joe Biden and I both graduated from the same university? Yep! We both went to @syracuseu 🍊 And in fact, @joebiden is the first @syracuseu alumnus to become President of the United States! 

📸: @chrissywphoto #inauguration #inagurationday #inaguration2021 #joebiden #kamalaharris #presidentbiden #syracuseuniversity #syracuse #syracuseu #historyismade #madamvicepresident #mommyandme #46thpresident #sandiego #sandiegoblogger #momblogger #parentingblogger #motherhood
This time of year is notorious for dry air, allerg This time of year is notorious for dry air, allergies, and sinus trouble. #ad 

And since I work from home, it can get quite noisy and distracting with my husband and two children here, so sometimes I get my best work done in the comfort of my own bed. And the best part is that I can have my new @crane_usa “4 in 1” cool mist humidifier on at all times with essential oils to help with overall wellness and since it comes with a sound machine I can block out the other noises in the house! 

And at night, it helps my sinuses as I sleep, especially when the dry air of the heater is on, and it has a nightlight so my kids can see where they are going in the middle of the night when they inevitably need water or a hug! 

This is our 6th #cranehumidifier style and it’s my favorite one yet! Check out my stories for a closer look! 👀 #happyhealthyhumidity 

#humidifier #coldandflu #humidifiers #peaceandquiet #workingfromhome #workingmom #working #coldandfluseason #coldandflurelief #winter #winterstyle #wintertime #wintervibes #winter2021 #wahm #wahmlife #wahmlifestyle #workfromhomemom #workfromhomelife #workfromhome #workathomemom #workathome #workathomelife #newmom #babyshowergift #sinusrelief
{New Blog Post} “How to Teach Children Gratitude {New Blog Post} “How to Teach Children Gratitude” 🌱✨🌸

Throwing it back to one of the first mommy and me photos I ever posted on my feed because I’ve been teaching my daughter about gratitude since she was this little, possibly even younger (she is two here for reference)! 

Gratitude is such an important virtue and must have trait to build a child’s character. It also shows therapeutic benefits when you show gratitude to others, so why wouldn’t you want to make it a priority to teach and instill in your children? 

In this blog, I have suggestions for how to teach children gratitude broken down by ages and stages from infancy to teenage years, while also including some conversation prompts, and links to my favorite gratitude journals for busy families that we use here at home! 

Find the direct link to read in my bio and stories! I also published similar articles on @todayparents and @redtricycle if you follow me there! #drkimblog
DOUBLE TAP if you agree!! 🙋🏼‍♀️ I am DOUBLE TAP if you agree!! 🙋🏼‍♀️

I am that mom who wants to do it all and when I get overwhelmed or start suffering from a major case of burnout, I feel guilty if I take a break instead of giving my body and mind permission to slow down or even stop. 

As moms we often feel guilty if we take a break or believe we are perceived as weak if we ask for help. I have learned that the more I ask for help and the more time I take for myself, the better I am for my children. 

Guilt is an emotional response to something you perceived you did wrong, but when you experience unnecessary guilt, it’s counterproductive to healing and helping you with what you need most. So give it a try and let me know how you are going to take a break and not feel guilty about it this week below in the comments! ⤵️ #drkimparentingtips #theparentologist #drkimparentingadvice
DOUBLE TAP if you used to love Hello Kitty when yo DOUBLE TAP if you used to love Hello Kitty when you were little - and still do! 🙋🏼‍♀️🐱#ad

I am so excited to have all of these new items from the @erincondren Hello Kitty collection that launched today to keep work fun, playful, and reminiscent of childhood - something all adults need a little more of, am I right? 

The collection is all about organization, kindness, and friendship. My favorite piece of the collection is the “Daily Kindness and Joy Journal” that boldly says BE KIND, BE NICE, REPEAT on the front cover but I am also pretty obsessed with the Hello Kitty x Erin Condren Pencil Case and Vegan Leather Padfolio! 

Swipe to see my business attire on top and activewear on the bottom work style! 😉 And head to my stories to see it all up close and for your convenience I have everything linked for you http://liketk.it/35XZC and make sure to follow me at THEPARENTOLOGIST @liketoknow.it  for more of my favorites!!! #liketkit #erincondren
{New Blog Post} “Sensory Play, Pretend Play, and {New Blog Post} “Sensory Play, Pretend Play, and Role Play Ideas for Children with Autism” 🧩 🧸 🚂 ⚽️ 
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For the last 3 years I have spent my career therapeutically helping families and children of all ages on the Autism Spectrum. Play has been a fundamental way for many of my clients to communicate if they are non-verbal. And some of my clients have had to be taught how to play with a toy or another person. The play ideas listed on the blog can be used with children with or without special needs. Play is a universal way a child can explore their world in a way that makes sense to them and cultivate imagination, creativity, and fun! As a Registered Play Therapist, I love the work I do and couldn’t be prouder of the progress my clients have made with play over the years! #drkimblog
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{New Blog Post} ✨🌱🧴“Ways to Take Control {New Blog Post} ✨🌱🧴“Ways to Take Control of Your Eczema” #ad 
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These winter months have been so dry and my eczema has been flaring up. Can anyone relate? For decades I have used a variety of treatment options from over-the-counter ointments and lotions to doctor prescribed steroid medication. In today’s blog, I am partnering with @mediqcme to share more of my story and struggles with atopic dermatitis as well as some new treatment options! If you or a loved one suffer from eczema or atopic dermatitis it’s a must read! 
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Plus there is a survey at the end of the blog you can fill out and opt in to be entered to win 1 of 10 VISA gift cards! 🙌🏻 Link in bio and in stories! #itchyskinhelp #drkimblog
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{New Blog Post} 🌿 “How to Utilize Play to Get {New Blog Post} 🌿 “How to Utilize Play to Get Your Kids to Do What You Want” 
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As a Registered Play Therapist, play is the foundation to the way I help children conceptualize and conquer the world. Play is second nature to children and the way they respond to many of life’s obstacles. Sometimes as parents, it is easy to get into a power match with your children, especially when you want your children to comply with a request and they won’t budge. When this happens, we need to change the way our adult mind thinks and switch it to the way a child thinks. Instead of giving them a punitive consequence, try these play recommendations that can be used with children as young as toddlerhood all the way to adolescents! #drkimblog 
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{New Blog Post} “Tips on How To Set Goals Effect {New Blog Post} “Tips on How To Set Goals Effectively in 2021” ✨ 
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It’s is usually around this time that I start thinking of the goals I want to accomplish for the year. And whether you believe in making resolutions, affirmations, or goals, it is time to be proactive!! On the blog, I outlined an organizational system I use year after year to help me accomplish my goals. And I hope they work for you!! 
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What are some of your goals you want to accomplish this year? 
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#2021 #2021goals #goals #goalsetting #goalgetter #goalsettingtips #goalsetter #goalsetting2021 #goalcrusher #momhustle #snowday #snowman #newgoals #newgoals2021 #mommyandme #letthembelittle #letthembekids #letthemplay #playoutside #playoutdoors #playoutsidethebox #familyday #familyfun #familysnowday
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