A MUM has revealed the three things you should say if your child is refusing to eat their dinner.
Certified nutritionist, Emily Dingmann shared the video on TikTok, where it has been viewed over one million times.
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Emily often shares tips on how to get children to have a healthy relationship with food and realises parents can struggle when their child refuses to eat dinner.
She captioned the post: “Three things to say when your kids say, “But I don’t want that.”
In the video, Emily explains how to encourage them to eat foods they don’t want to and that cooking them a separate meal, reacting negatively, or taking it personally should never be done.
Reacting negatively to them saying no, could reinforce them refusing to try their dinner.
She listed three things you can say instead: “Maybe you can try it next time.
“You can decide what to eat off your plate.
“I know you will try it when you are ready.”
Some parents in the comments suggested Emily’s tips meant you were a lazy parent who wouldn’t cook food your children enjoy.
One user wrote: “You’re just lazy that’s all it comes down to. if you actually cared about your kids’ well-being you’d make sure they’re happy with something they enjoy.”
In a later video, she explained the context behind saying these three phrases to children who refuse to eat their dinner and why it was not lazy.
She explains: “There seems to be this view that if you are not making your children separate meals then you are either starving them or you are force-feeding them.
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
Emily said there are definitely times that call for separate meals, and in her house, she does this every Friday.
She explained she sees it as a benefit introducing new foods to kids and new flavours, even if that means they might not like it the first time.
Emily added you might not do this every day or even every week but that your kids may surprise you and try some new foods the more you encourage them to, with the use of these phrases.
Other parents agreed with Emily, one mum wrote: “This approach has changed the vibe of dinner times for us. No more arguments! I’ve decided what to make tonight but you can decide what to eat.”
“I have four kids. I say – every meal doesn’t have to be our favourite meal, but this is today’s meal.” Commented another mum.
A third person wrote: “I always say, “Dinner will be here for you if you change your mind.” I don’t have the energy to argue with them lol.”
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For more parenting hacks, check out this parenting expert’s tricks for stopping car tantrums.
Plus, a massage expert reveals the secret hack to getting your baby to fall asleep in just one minute.
Meanwhile, I practice gentle parenting, my kids swear a lot but I don’t care if people judge me.
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