There are some some simple ways to deal with the picky eater in your family, and to help prevent this situation going from frustrating to a power struggle between you and your child.

Start by making meal-time fun. Have your child help you make meals (like helping to decorate pizzas) or serve the meal in fun shapes. Make a face out of fried eggs, or make letters out of pancake batter.

Set an Example. If your child sees you eating a particular food often, then they are more likely to try that food.

Don’t Spoil Meals. About an hour before mealtime, don’t give your son or daughter any snacks or too much to drink. This will diminish their appetite for lunch or dinner.

Only Make One Meal. Don’t make more than one meal for your child at lunch or supper time. If they won’t eat their meal, they won’t starve before the next mealtime or snack. Making more than one meal for your child at either of these times will show your child that they can get away with not eating what you made them originally.

Eat at the same time every day. This will help build a routine with your child, and if your child cannot eat whenever he or she wants, they will be more likely to eat at meal time.

Your child won’t eat as much as you. Young children don’t need to eat as much food as you. Their stomachs are smaller, so they can’t hold as much food at one time as you do.

Don’t threaten or bribe. Threatening your child to finish everything on his or her plate will only cause a battle of wills between you and your child. On the other hand, if your child isn’t hungry enough to finish their own meal, then they probably shouldn’t have dessert. Bribing your child with dessert can also give your child the wrong message – that sweets and dessert are better than any other food they could eat.

When trying to introduct your child to new foods, remember that it will take your child about 10-15 times of being served a food before they will actually eat it. This is perfectly normal. Also, when talking to your child about a new food, don’t talk about the taste of it – instead, talk about the colour, the smell or the texture.

There are several key baby development stages that both experts and parents recognize and are significant to the growth of a child. Within the first 4 to 6 weeks of birth, your baby should be able to smile. Most of those first weeks are spent sleeping and gazing at the world around them. At around week 8 of the baby development stages, your baby should begin vocalizing. This is more than crying for food or attention, but this begins the active communication portion of the baby development stages. Most of the days during the second month are spent vocalizing, playing with vocal patterns, kicking while laying on the back or stomach. Your baby is getting to know that they have a voice and limbs! Various toys such as play mats and rattles give babies something to focus on that can be even more exciting than their normal world.

At month 3, your baby can hold its head up for prolonged periods, can talk quite a bit more than before, follows sound, and recognizes when to smile and squeal with joy. At this age rattles are still interesting, toys with music and toys with various textures are the best. By age 6 months, your baby can recognize itself in the mirror, transfer toys from one hand to the other, pull itself up to sit, grasp toys using the Palmer grasp and can vocalize the beginning of words such as mom and dad. Blocks can be one of the best toys for this age. Other toys with different shapes are also enjoyed. Stacking toys aid in coordination development. At this point, your baby might show interest in rolling a ball on the floor. Talking toys that help your baby learn different words are also great. This is a key point in the baby development stages.

During the following months, babies begin to wiggle and crawl. A bouncing activity center might be the perfect toy for your child. At the 9 to 10 month mark, your baby can pick up objects using the Pincer grasp, can sit unsupported, can babble along with a tune and loves to hear the sound of the words they are learning to vocalize. At this age babies love interaction with others. By year 1, your baby should be able to stand while holding onto something like furniture, stand alone for a few seconds, speak at least 2 words repeatedly and wave goodbye. Your child is making the transition from baby to toddler. There are many toys that can assist in these baby development stages such as push toys, ride on toys, toy telephones and musical toys.

As your baby cycles through the various baby development stages there are always toys and resources to aid you along the way. With each mental and physical stage, your baby will interact more with your family. As you watch these baby development stages, keep in mind that the toys your purchase during these times can last longer than a couple months. Often babies enjoy playing with toys you purchased when they were 3 months old, when they are a year old. Allow your child to dictate when it is time to retire a toy. Through the baby development stages you will be enamored by the growth of your child. Enjoy this time!

Development Stage 1 – The First 3 Months

The first 3 months of a baby’s life are spent learning about themselves and their surroundings. Later on in the development stage your child will react to sights and sounds. They may begin trying to imitate your voice as she reaches the end of the stage. Physically, your baby will gain more control over their body and begin kicking their legs, holding up their head, and being able to keep a hold on their toys. This is also when they will develop hand-to-eye co-ordination, and will begin following moving objects with their eyes. Cognitively, they will begin reacting to familiar sounds, like your voice, and they will begin to develop different sounds for different emotions (examples: the hungry cry, the scared cry, etc.). As you get more adjusted to your parenting role, you will be able to hear the differences in their voice and know exactly what your baby needs.

Development Stage 2 – 3-6 Months Old

From 3 months to 6 months old, your child is getting more confident and curious. They now understand their surroundings more, and want to explore the area. Because of this they learn to crawl, either on all fours, or just by dragging themselves around. They will also now be able to support their weight when upright. They will still need to be supported, as they are still developing their balance, however, they will enjoy looking around when upright, seeing things from a different angle. They will not cry as much, but rather will make different “ooh” and “ahh” noises as they learn to copy the sounds that others make. They will also begin to reach for things with both hands and have enough control to roll.

Development Stage 3 – 6-9 Months Old

This stage is often seen as the most fun for parents. This is when your child learns the most, and really has the most fun with playing. Although you should never neglect your child, you should give them some alone playing time. Make sure to supervise during this time, but give your child the chance to examine their toys on their own, and devise new (and safe) ways to play with them. This is also when your child learns repetition, so games like peek-a-boo are great to keep your child entertained. Your child will enjoy knowing what’s coming, therefore feeling more in control. This is also the stage where your child begins to develop their balance and get more comfortable standing up on their own.

Development Stage 4 – 9-12 Months Old

Although this is different for every child, this is generally the stage in which they learn to walk, run, and overall become more mobile. This means that you should be very careful to keep an eye on your child, as they may not be in the same place as they were when you turned your back. In order to facilitate this amount of mobility, you need to childproof your house. Cover all outlets, hide all wires, put up gates at the top and bottom of stairs, and keep all hot and sharp items out of reach. Also when cooking, remember to turn all pot handles in, however, your oven itself will be hot so do your best to keep your child away from the stove in general.

Development Stage 5 – 1-2 years

This stage is generally when your child learns all about themselves. They will learn that they are a separate being, and will develop self esteem. With this self esteem however, come possessiveness and the word “no”. You need to be patient with your child at this point and set limits. These limits will teach your child discipline, and they will then adopt this as their own self discipline. Children at this age are learning how to express emotions, and therefore do not necessarily use the most effective methods. Temper tantrums often occur simply because a child is frustrated that they cannot express their emotions. They also may express their anger in a physical way by biting, scratching and hitting. This can be prevented through both discipline, and lots of physical activity. Children also develop their vocabulary and their sentence structure in this stage, which you can aid by making sure that books and television shows/DVDs are at the appropriate level for your child.

When looking at these stages, remember that every child is different. There is no guarantee that your child will develop according to these stages, as everyone learns at different speeds. Some children may learn one thing extremely quickly, and then something else is more difficult for them. It’s best that you remember this, and don’t put pressure on your child if they are not learning as quick as expected.

Ask your doctor first if it’s proper for you to join any postnatal exercise class. If approved, joining these classes is highly recommended. Not only will you be able to stay active, but you will start to make friends with new mothers. This is a great outcome because you can ask baby questions with other mothers and create a support group. Here are a few exercise tips that you can perform at home:

Lower Back Stretch

Stand upright with both feet flat against the ground. Place both hands on your lower back, just above your hips, so that your thumbs are touching the outer edge of your spine. Breathe out and push forward gently so that only your pelvis moves forward. Stretch to whatever comfortable point and then release. Do this three to four times. 

Leg Stretch

Stand upright with both feet flat against the ground. Breathe out and, with your finger tips, bend over and try to touch your toes. You don’t have to touch your toes. Just go as far as you feel comfortable. Once you are at that point, hold that position for 5 seconds then breathe in as you lift yourself back to your original position. Usually done once but you can do it a couple more times if you feel it necessary.

Leg Slide

Lie completely flat on your back and keep your knees bent, but feet should be flat on the floor. Place both hands flat underneath your lower back. Now you are ready to start. Breathe out slowly and slide your legs forward bringing your knees to the ground. Once completely flat out on the ground, breathe in and slowly slide your legs back to the starting positions. Repeat 10 – 15 times.

Pelvis Rock

Lie in the same position as in the legs slide with your back flat, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Breathe out and move your pelvis in a rocking motion so that your lower back is flat on the floor. Now, with your feet and upper back flat on the floor, in an upward motion lift your pelvis so your lower back is lifted from the ground. Hold for 3 – 5 seconds and breathe in as you bring your lower back flat on the ground. Repeat 5 – 10 times.