When clients ask me what they shouldn’t eat, my answer usually goes something like this;
“You know what you shouldn’t eat, my job is to tell you what you should eat.”
Some how with old and young alike the minute you say no to something, that’s the very thing they want, and they want it bad!!
My advice to parents, husbands and wives is to accentuate the positive. Instead of telling your loved ones to put down the cookies and chips, offer up their favorite veggies and fruits.
I actually learned this lesson the hard way. Back in the day, I freaked out when I saw my kids, or any kids for that matter eating sugar, high fructose corn syrup, blue ices, and other chemically laden things.
My reactions backfired big time. My children told me, as they got older, about how they used to stuff themselves with sugar (and everything else I said not to eat) when the opportunity came up.
It is so much more effective to focus on what you can say yes to, in a positive non-reactive way.
A little bit of psychology goes a long way. Instead of saying “I am not buying sugar cereal it’s poisonous!” You can say “Oh we ran out of that, try this…..”
If a child asks for something you do not want them to have, you can firmly say ” That is not one of our choices today. You can choose A or B.” Let them choose from 2 or 3 healthy options that they like.
I also want to suggest good old bribery to get your kids to try new vegetables and healthy foods they’re not used to. It takes 3 times for a child to be exposed to a new food and for them to like it. So write down each time they try something new. After 15 times of trying new foods, buy them an agreed upon gift. It can be inexpensive and small.
I’ve been seeing amazing things happen with these simple guidelines. Children who only ate chicken nuggets and noodles are now eating broccoli, string beans and asparagus, and they love it!
Do you have any good ways to coax a picky eater? Share with us in the comments below.
