Parenting

I am not able to stop my child from watching TV while eating. Please help!

Answered by Team ParentCircle

Dear Parent,

I can imagine how difficult it is to feed a young child who is insistent on staring at a screen. However, meal times needn’t be battle times! First things first, screen times must be completely avoided during meal times because of the harmful effects they carry - the screen distraction does not allow your child to focus on appetite cues such as taste, texture, flavors, quantity.  The ads tempt children with processed and junk food items. To pave the way for lifelong healthy eating, you need to lay the foundation for good eating behavior starting now:

• Start by removing all screens during meal times, even for yourselves. Your child will initially fuss, maybe throw tantrums, but stick to the rule. Initially, your child may not eat at all. But if you’re serious about making the change, don’t give in; your child will definitely not starve herself.
• Make mealtimes a family activity, with all the family members gathering at the dinner table. If your child needs to eat earlier than other family members, sit with her while she eats and make the time most enjoyable for her. Talk about the different foods on her plate, make up stories about them, share interesting stories about food from your own childhood days, and so on. Gradually your child will look forward to these conversations, and you would have spent quality time together too!
• If your child is a toddler or preschooler, ask them to describe their favorite shows and characters. Build imaginary stories about them. This could be a lot of fun, and creative too.
• Every time your child has a meal without watching a screen, celebrate her efforts with a high-five gesture, a hug, or a little fun routine of fit bumps and a jig.

Breaking any unhealthy behavior patterns takes time and patience, but remember only you have the power to help your child break them.

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