Are you a helicopter feeder?

Are you inadvertently a helicopter feeder? Watching your baby or toddler closely as they eat?

When we feed our children, especially babies when they first start to eat solids, we often sit opposite them and stare at them as they eat.

We hover over them like a helicopter, watching every bite and waiting with bated breath to see them eat. This is especially true if they are a fussy eater.

As parents, we are very invested in what they eat. Our eyes follow every spoonful and we concentrate on their every move.

Being with your child and engaging with them when they eat is great, but try to focus more on sharing more than staring.

How would you feel if someone was sitting opposite you staring whilst you ate?

Modelling and demonstrating how to eat, rather than just cheerleading, will support better long-term results, especially when it comes to fussy or picky eaters.

No, you don’t need to eat pureed pea-mush, but eating some real peas whilst your little one is enjoying their puree is great for showing them the next steps and gives them an interest in how we eat.

Source: This article was kindly written for us by The Confident Eater -  giving you the tools, the strategies and the confidence to get your picky eater eating.