Sangeetha N. Do you often have mealtime and bedtime battles with your children? Here are a few things to think about: You aren’t alone. Most families have regular dining table and bedroom battles. This awareness may not improve your situation, but it might help in making you feel less helpless and more confident that such battles are commonplace and can be won. Do something different. Offer a ‘fruit lunch’ with apples, bananas, strawberries and oranges. Add a bowl of roasted nuts. Or serve cake and vegetable cutlets for lunch. Doing something new gives parent and child some stress relief. This can help break the habit of fighting at mealtimes. You can easily find ‘different’ meals that are healthy by including milk, eggs, nuts and fruits. Of course this can’t be done every day, but when children receive such indulgence, it could create a better attitude at regular mealtimes. If your child makes a fuss about going to bed on time, try placing a tent in the living room, or allowing her to sleep on the sofa once in a while. Stop fighting. if your child refuses to eat, don’t argue. Be agreeable and provide options. You may want to tell your child where to get food when hungry, or that he/she needs to wait until the next meal-time. There isn’t a single solution for home battles, as you probably know. But it’s essential to remain cool, and attempt different solutions. Sooner or later, you’ll hit on the right one. Add excitement to routine. To get children to bed ask them to snuggle into bed imagining there are cuddly animals all around. Create a short story to go with imaginative play. At mealtimes, invite friends over, or go on a picnic nearby. Again, this can’t be done every day, but an occassional picnic or party will improve attitudes towards food. If your child is interested, get him/her to help with preparing meals or snacks for the family. Most kids are excited about what they make and will eat it more easily than what you prepare and place on the table. Increase physical activity. Increased physical activity will help children eat and sleep better. This sounds simple, but fitting more physical activity into the daily routine isn’t always easy. Offering new ideas and challenges like rope skipping 100 times without a break, and trying to break one’s own record (or that of a sibling) can help. Dance, martial arts and sports classes provide regular workouts, and also improve the overall health, well-being and confidence of children.
