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W hen a child r eaches the age of 8-15 m onths, they w ill begin
joining the r est of the fam ily at r egular m ealtim es. This typically consists of 3 m ain m eals + 2
snacks. These young childr en w ill begin lear ning about new
sem i-solid and solid foods and how to get them fr om the plate,
into their m ouths!
At this tim e in a child's
life, they ar e ver y m uch
DIVIDED so in tune w ith their
RESPONSIBILITY instinctual eating habits.
That is, they under stand
W hile a child is still
w hen they ar e hungr y
lear ning how to eat as
w ell as w hat they enjoy and w hen they ar e
eating, it is im por tant to satisfied. They w ill
r em em ber that ther e is
divided r esponsibility com m unicate this in
betw een the var ious w ays, in attem pt to help you under stand w hat they ar e
par ent/car egiver and the feeling dur ing the m eal tim e. If a child is not hungr y or is feeling
child. The full, they w ill show num er ous cues. These cues m ay include:
par ent/car egiver is
r esponsible for offer ing - Cover ing or blocking their m outh w ith their hands
inviting, healthy m eals. - Tur ning their head aw ay fr om their plate
The child is r esponsible
- Keeping their m outh closed
for deciding if they ar e
hungr y, w hat they w ould - Show ing signs of ir r itation (cr ying, fussing)
like to eat, and how m uch It is im por tant to r espect the cues that ar e expr essed by the child,
they w ould like to eat. show ing that they ar e under stood and they ar e in contr ol of w hat
This division of and how m uch that they eat.
r esponsibility is vital to
developing eating W hile this child is lear ning how to feed them selves, r em em ber to
com petency. show them that they ar e in contr ol. Allow the child to eat nothing
at all or their entir e plate of food- as long as it is their decision
and they ar e not pr essur ed to eat.
February 2017