Parenting Tips for Your 15-16 Month Old Toddler
It is a good idea to give your child meals and snacks at about the same time every day. He will feel better if he knows he is going to have food at regular times. If he doesn’t, he might be crabby and cranky. He might overeat when he finally does get food, because he is not sure when he is going to eat again.
Eating in the morning gives your child energy. He might not want to eat just after he wakes up. That’s OK; try again later. He will probably be ready for food in a half hour or so.
Children have small stomachs and may get hungry within a couple of hours after a meal. Give your child nutritious snacks at midmorning and mid afternoon to take care of his hunger and keep him healthy.
Most people eat a meal around noon, and they may eat another meal about 5 or 6 p.m. You can plan the times of meals around what you have to do during the day. Try to stick to this regular schedule of meals and snacks.
Suppose your child refuses to eat at mealtime, but then asks for a snack immediately afterwards. Generally it’s a good idea to refuse his request and tell him he must wait until snack time.
If your child doesn’t want to eat what you’ve prepared, don’t get into the habit of fixing something different just for him. Remind him that this is what everyone in the family is eating. Tell him it will be a while before the next meal or snack. If he still insists he is not going to eat, quietly remove his plate. Let him leave the table if he wants to.
Encourage your child to try lots of different foods. If he doesn’t eat a new food the first time you serve it, don’t give up. Children often refuse new foods the first time around. Serve the food again a few days later. He may try it then. He may not try it until you’ve served it 7-15 times. By then, he will have seen other people eating and enjoying it and the food will be more familiar to him.
