While today can be an amazing day filled with family and friends it can also be an incredibly stressful day for families with problem feeders. We work every day to present foods and create an environment that can be supportive of our kiddos, but today all of that may be thrown out the window. New people, busy, sometimes unfamiliar houses, and foods we may not have seen since this time last year. When was the last time you made green bean casserole and cranberry sauce on a Tuesday? If you are visiting friends and family today your kiddo may also be in a different chair or at a separate table. With that in mind, we thought we would share a few strategies we have learned over the years to make the holidays a little more enjoyable.
1. Have a conversation with family and friends prior to your arrival in order to address concerns that may arise during dinner. Kindly remind them that while you are working on feeding issues you won’t be at Thanksgiving dinner.
2. Take a preferred food that your kiddo helped prepare. It is amazing how much better a food can taste to your child when they helped prepare it. Who knows, you may start a new tradition!
3. We have always had discussions with Charlotte about what to expect when traveling, or visiting family. Knowing what is coming up, what we expect, and how she can be successful has worked wonders.
4. You may have noticed that too much food on your kiddo’s plate can be overwhelming. While we fill our plates with familiar items, keep in mind this may be too much to handle especially with all of the other stresses. Smaller portions and fewer foods may be the sweet spot today.
5. Our favorite rule for holidays and vacations is "food rules don’t apply." Try and enjoy the day with family and friends and let your little one do the same. Tomorrow is another day and strategies can be picked up tomorrow at the breakfast table.
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!