Perhaps you find dinner difficult at your home?
That your child has trouble sitting still…
Maybe it's hard to get them to the table…
Perhaps their appetite is small (or completely gone)…
I hasten to say that this is completely normal.
Dinner is indeed the meal that is most difficult for many children.
Why?
Because our children are tired after a long day. And when our children are tired, it often affects their appetite.
Furthermore, dinner is often the meal where we parents (usually) have the most expectations about what and how much they should eat (or we HOPE they will eat 🤞🏼).
And along with that control that we can quickly exert at the dinner table – well, the child's appetite can disappear even more.
IS YOUR CHILD HUNGRIER IN THE AFTERNOON?
If dinner is difficult at your home – but the hunger for an afternoon snack is perhaps great. Then you can try to switch the meals around a bit.
Serve "the big" meal in the afternoon, if that's when your child is most hungry. Of course, that doesn't mean you have to cook dinner twice (who has time for that 🙃).
It just means that it should be a good meal that your child can get full from (e.g., leftovers from yesterday, rye bread, vegetables, fruit, crackers, meatballs from the freezer, etc.).
Perhaps your child is not very hungry when you sit down at the table in the evening. That's perfectly fine. They still come to the table. But it is always up to our children how much/little/if they eat. Instead, focus on the coziness. The togetherness. And enjoy your own food 🥰
Your child will probably be hungry before bedtime. Offer a portion of supper at a specific time before you brush your teeth. It sits comfortably and well in their stomach 🥰
Best, Charlotte
