Yes, but it’s also important to remember that this is universally recognized because it’s a common aspect of preadolescent brains. I know this is just a comic, but I’ve seen a lot of parents treat it like willful belligerence (and sometimes it might be), but that’s not necessarily accurate or constructive. Kids don’t choose that their brain makes them prefer certain things and have a visceral aversion to new foods. Some kids can be encouraged to try things and will enjoy them once they’ve tried them, but some kids just can’t do it until their brain is more developed and the disgust reaction to new food dampens.
It’s an extreme example, but I’ve watched my kid try to force himself to eat something because I asked him to try it and he was literally shaking and dry heaving trying to put it in his mouth. IIRC it was a french fry that was shaped differently than the ones he usually eats. Like I said, extreme example, but kid brains are legit wired differently when it comes to food, and that should be respected.
Yes, posted in a parenting community, where discussing parenting is presumably fair game. It’s a relatable experience, but as the parent of a kid with involuntary food aversions, who grew up with family members getting into screaming matches over kids not trying food at holidays every year, I thought it was worth raising that this isn’t always within a child’s control.
Not quite sure what you were hoping to accomplish with this comment. My kid mainly eats broccoli, tomatoes, berries, rice, eggs, carrots, tofu, beets, beans, fish, and spinach. We’ve recently convinced him to eat french fries, chicken nuggets, pepperoni, and noodles. We knew pickiness was possible so we very carefully chose which foods to expose him to from a very young age so his default comfort zone was healthy food. If he has trouble trying new french fries I think it’s reasonable to accept that he has a legitimate aversion that he doesn’t control.
I also want to point out that you can feed your baby/toddler all the “good” foods and none of the “bad” foods and they can still become picky and reject the things they used to eat. My kids ate all the same things yours did and then one day when they were each about three, they decided they didn’t eat anything anymore. Some days I can only get rice into one kid and eggs into the other.
That’s entirely fair. My kid’s aversions are mostly about familiarity and not about flavor or texture, or random whim. What we did ended up working out, but you’re right that it isn’t necessarily going to be the case with every kid, and I probably shouldn’t have implied that it was the “right” thing to do. It was certainly lucky, but as with many parenting strategies, that it worked with my kid doesn’t mean it would work with others.
I’d also think the fact that the new food isn’t ‘healthy’ is also a double whammy.
Being forced to eat your spinnach sucks because its NOT fatty and delicious.
Eating new unhealthy food when you dont want to Sucks because it can mentally feel like you’re poisoning yourself AND you don’t want to.
Honestly the win is getting your kid to try new things. No problem if they really dont like it and they are eating healthily. Becoming an adult is being able to eat all food as sustenance and not just pleasure. They’re a kid. No way they can understand that.
Instead focus on the lesson that trying new things can ‘suck’ and having a ‘bad’ outcome after trying something new is entirely acceptable (within bounds)
Yes, but it’s also important to remember that this is universally recognized because it’s a common aspect of preadolescent brains. I know this is just a comic, but I’ve seen a lot of parents treat it like willful belligerence (and sometimes it might be), but that’s not necessarily accurate or constructive. Kids don’t choose that their brain makes them prefer certain things and have a visceral aversion to new foods. Some kids can be encouraged to try things and will enjoy them once they’ve tried them, but some kids just can’t do it until their brain is more developed and the disgust reaction to new food dampens.
It’s an extreme example, but I’ve watched my kid try to force himself to eat something because I asked him to try it and he was literally shaking and dry heaving trying to put it in his mouth. IIRC it was a french fry that was shaped differently than the ones he usually eats. Like I said, extreme example, but kid brains are legit wired differently when it comes to food, and that should be respected.
Sweet jeebers — it’s a frickin’ comic.
Yes, posted in a parenting community, where discussing parenting is presumably fair game. It’s a relatable experience, but as the parent of a kid with involuntary food aversions, who grew up with family members getting into screaming matches over kids not trying food at holidays every year, I thought it was worth raising that this isn’t always within a child’s control.
wow. he sure raised you right
Not quite sure what you were hoping to accomplish with this comment. My kid mainly eats broccoli, tomatoes, berries, rice, eggs, carrots, tofu, beets, beans, fish, and spinach. We’ve recently convinced him to eat french fries, chicken nuggets, pepperoni, and noodles. We knew pickiness was possible so we very carefully chose which foods to expose him to from a very young age so his default comfort zone was healthy food. If he has trouble trying new french fries I think it’s reasonable to accept that he has a legitimate aversion that he doesn’t control.
I also want to point out that you can feed your baby/toddler all the “good” foods and none of the “bad” foods and they can still become picky and reject the things they used to eat. My kids ate all the same things yours did and then one day when they were each about three, they decided they didn’t eat anything anymore. Some days I can only get rice into one kid and eggs into the other.
That’s entirely fair. My kid’s aversions are mostly about familiarity and not about flavor or texture, or random whim. What we did ended up working out, but you’re right that it isn’t necessarily going to be the case with every kid, and I probably shouldn’t have implied that it was the “right” thing to do. It was certainly lucky, but as with many parenting strategies, that it worked with my kid doesn’t mean it would work with others.
Yeah I’ve accepted that a lot of things simply come down to the personality a kid was born with.
I’d also think the fact that the new food isn’t ‘healthy’ is also a double whammy.
Being forced to eat your spinnach sucks because its NOT fatty and delicious.
Eating new unhealthy food when you dont want to Sucks because it can mentally feel like you’re poisoning yourself AND you don’t want to.
Honestly the win is getting your kid to try new things. No problem if they really dont like it and they are eating healthily. Becoming an adult is being able to eat all food as sustenance and not just pleasure. They’re a kid. No way they can understand that.
Instead focus on the lesson that trying new things can ‘suck’ and having a ‘bad’ outcome after trying something new is entirely acceptable (within bounds)