What do you do to make your kids eat the food that is served to them without giving in to their food preference?

I guess when it comes to feeding Jared, the key will always have to be listen to the signal he is sending or the message he is trying to communicate. I cannot really make him eat the food I served him 100% of the time + there is no way I will force him!

When he was just starting to eat his solids, it was really quite a daunting task to feed him, I noticed that he’d only want to try a different type of food once. If i mash him carrots for today, for example, I must give him a different one tomorrow, like papaya or other, the next day, otherwise, he will not eat it! It has been like that for awhile. Even when I make him Cerelac he would easily get tired of its taste + refuse having it the next day!

He also went into that phase when he’d entirely refuse any solid food I offer. I’ve tried variety of food but all I’d get as an answer is a mouth tight shut + several shakes of his head telling me “no mum”. I was worried for awhile thinking he might not be getting the complete amount of nutrients + minerals he needed to grow up stronger + healthier.

Nowadays, although we’d still have struggles when feeding, he’d normally gladly accept anything I feed him, especially rice + soup. My son just enjoys having soup, so we make it a point to include it  in our menu each meal time as much as we can.

I guess the key really is to listen to what our babies are trying to tell us. They would accept solid when they want to + when they are ready, as much as they’d ask for their milk when they hungry + stop feeding when they are full.

For now, his feeding bottle is his best friend, but I have no worries about it. I read somewhere that it is really ideal to wait until your child is ready to wean, instead of force-weaning him. I guess, I’d content myself in listening for the meantime, anyway, there will be loads of time for solid eating when he is a bit older. I’ll let him enjoy the bottle for now.