Feilding Community Centre

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 102, 1 May 1941, Page 5

Feilding Community Centre

CHILD STUDY HABITS Feeding Habits Too little consideration is given to the problem of individual differences. Parents are over ahbitious as regards the amount and kind of food their children eat, and the amount of gain or loss in weight that results. Wider knowledge of what enstitutes an adequate diet should cause a rise in the standard of nutrition. This has been the case with infants but not with older children. We have tried to pour all our children into the same mould and the individual child has not conformed. We have been told that children of a certain age and height should be a certain weight aud all our efforts have been directed towards that end. The child who has a small frame, who eats 'with good appetite, even though the amount is relatively small, and who shows a steady gain, may be the nutritional equal of his neighbour of the same age, who is endoured with a larger bony structure. The emphasis should be on good nutritional condition measured in terms of the individual child rather than upon gross body bulk as composed with other children. Feeding difficulties very often arise as a result of unsuccessful weaning. The child is bewildered by his new experiences and rebels against forming new habits. It is necessary to wean very gradually and never allow the infant to fear insecurity by the sudden withdrawal of the comfort and warmth of his mother. He must feel re-assured of her protection and love at every step of the weaning process. Alany food difficulties in later life have been traced to haphazard or impatient weaning methods. A child who has given no other sign that he misses the suckling process will continue to suck his thumb even until he is five or six years of age. This is evidence that his development has been arrested and he should abandon this habit. New foods should be introduced in small quantities and as attractively as possible. He should not be given a larg-i plateful of mashed up potato and vege table, for instance, as this may nauseate him. Put the food on the plate so that it look pleasant and let him feed him self if he wishes to do so. Never comment on any food dislikes the child may have —ignore it completely so far as he is aware because every time you mention it in liis hearing, the more firmly fixed it becomes. Adult Attitudes Anxiety on the part of the mother de feats its own purpose as it makes her inconsistent. The child likes to be cajoled and very soon realises that he had a strong weapon to get his mother’s attention and to get power over her.

Sometimes the child will refuse to take any food and is then forced to eat. This is bad both physically and emotionally and may result in the child becoming antagonistic towards his mother. Serenity on the part of the mother cannot be over emphasised. Never let the child know you are anxious and do not show concern. Remove the uneaten food without comment; do not leave the child a long time in front of uneaten food as it encourages him to dawdle over it.

Parents should be careful not to discuss likes and dislikes in front of children as they will naturally imitate.

Deeper reactions such as resistance and negative attitudes are due to deeper seated antagonisms. Such children are. generally suffering from frustration or insecurity in some way. It may be the result of jealousy of another child, or jealousy of the father, or over much discipline. Children are able to vomit at will and this is another way of gaining attention. In order to help prevent the formation of these undesirable habits the parent should see that the child is not restricted in his activities by his parents’ anxieties. He must be allowed independence and freedom.