The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1922-05-04
FOR THE MOTHERS
OF LINDEN

I'm this column, The Tribune
presents authoritative information
from Federal and State Officials
on the Care and Training OF
Children.)
DRINKS
The growing child needs a
good deal of drinking water,
particularly in the hot weather,
and should be offered water even
when he does not demand 1t.
Tea and coffee should be abso-
lutely forbidden to all young
children.
FOOD HABITS
With few exceptions children
may be taught proper food habits
Children know nothing Of foods
in the beginning save those which
are set before them and have to
learn to eat every article of food.
II from the first wholesome and
suitable foods are served with
out comment or question most
children will like them and thus
normal dietary habits will be es-
tablished.
In some cases child may
exhibit an "idiosyncrasy" toward
certain fOod-such as eggs for
oxa which he may not be
able to eat but in general he can
and should be taught to eat all
wholesome foods. A child who
insists that he does not like this
or that food may not be perfect
ly we'll or his appetite may have
another. Others may have had
their tastes limited by the OBJ
| lection of the members of the
family to certain articles which
are consequently almost excluded
from the table. 1t is also quite
possible that a child's distaste
for certain foods may result
from poor cooking, scOrching,
overseasoning, or other faults of
preparation. For example, most
children have a wholesome, nat
ural objection to pepper and
sharp condiments and will not
eat foods in which they are
used. This may be sufficient to
destroy their relish for such
| things as soups, vegetables and
meats. On the other hand food
may be so negative that it cxcites
no pleasure in eating. 1t is i'm
portant to have the ordinary food
appear on the table seasoned and
favored so as to make them at
tractive, palatable and capable
of exciting copious flow of the
various digestive juices. Flavor
less, badly cooked, unattractive.
and unappetizing food will be
poorly digested. The pleasing ap-
pearance Of food and an agree
able manner Of serving it have
much to do with the pleasure of
eating it.
After the third year three good
meals a day will usually suffice.
The habit Of lunching or nibbling
on candy or cake between meals
tends to destroy the natural ap-
petite and to make the child in
different to his regular meals,
and leads to indigestion and NAL
nutrition. If the interval between
dinner and supper is very long,
light lunch consisting Of milk,
or bread and butter, ripe fruit
or other light food may be given
half way between these meals.
Meats should be cut fine, veg
etables mashed or strained, and
seeds and skin removed from
fruits for the youngest children.
From the first the child must
be taught to chew his food thor
oughly and must be continually
watched to see that he does not
fall into the habit OF eating too
fast and swallowing large mouth
fuls without sufficient mastica-
tion. To guard against this habit
pleasant conversation and laugh
ter should be encouraged at the
family table and children should
learn from the example of their
elders to make the mealtime a
happy one. No child should be
permitted to frown or pout at
the table or to complain about
his food provided the meal Of