Try to keep them focused on the meal. Insisting that a child finish a meal can lead to bitter battles at the dinner table. The less fuss parents make over mealtime, the faster a child will develop his or her own appetite. Children quickly learn they can attract attention by accepting or rejecting food. Help them develop their own tastes, learn to react to their own hunger and not confuse food with love or attention.
Food is one area where parents' own actions are especially important.
Don't expect your child to eat well balanced meals if you don't. Some children are allergic to certain foods. When introducing foods into your baby's diet, do so one at a time in order to detect any allergies. Since food allergies and intolerances are complex and often interrelated, it is important to seek medical advice and to keep an open mind. The problem may not have a simple solution.