Feeding Your Child

Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility in Feeding

This is geared toward those with children.  Even if you don't have kids, it may be an interesting read.  Ellyn Satter, MS, RD, LCSW, BCD is a dietitian with 40 years experience as a therapist, author, and lecturer who has combined her expertise in nutrition and psychology to teach the dynamics of feeding your child.

Parents provide structure, support and opportunities.

Children choose how much and whether to eat from what the parents provide.

The Division of Responsibility for Infants

The parent is responsible for WHAT
The child is responsible for HOW MUCH (and everything else)

The parent helps the infant to be calm and organized and feeds smoothly, paying attention to information coming from the baby about timing, tempo, frequency, and amounts.

The Division of Responsibility for Toddlers through Adolescents

The parent is responsible for WHAT, WHEN, WHERE
The child is responsible for HOW MUCH and WHETHER

Parent's Feeding Jobs:

• Choose and prepare the food
• Provide regular meals and snacks
• Make eating time pleasant
• Show children what they have to learn about food and mealtime behavior
• Not let the children graze for food or beverages between meal and snack times
• Let children grow up to get bodies that are right for them

Fundamental to parents' jobs is TRUSTING children to decide HOW MUCH and WHETHER to eat.  If parents do their jobs with feeding,  children will do their jobs with eating.

• Children will eat
• They will eat the amount they need
• They will learn to eat the food their parents eat
• They will grow predictably
• They will learn to behave well at the table

To learn more about Ellyn Satter, visit www.EllynSatter.com