“Mom, I grew a whole centimetre!” Mei Mei shouts to her mother while peering at the measuring chart stuck to the wall. That one centimetre means a lot to a toddler or preschooler, who is eagerly trying to “become as big” as his older brother or sister, or his friends.
You will notice that your child, between the age of 2 and 6 years, grows at a slower and steadier pace than he did during the first two years of infancy. His weight may increase at an average of 2 3kg per year, while he grows taller by about 6-8cm per year.
His bones and muscles also grow so that he is able to be more mobile and take on greater physical tasks.
His entire set of baby teeth will have developed by the age of 2½ years. He is also learning to gain control over his physical movements. From holding on to chairs and toddling unsteadily, he is gradually learning to walk, run and climb. He is also picking up fine motor skills, like learning how to hold a pencil, use scissors, write and draw.
Along with his increasing activeness, he is also displaying an insatiable sense of curiosity and adventure. He will be constantly asking questions, wanting to do this and that, and avidly observing everything that goes on around him.
Whew! How does a parent keep up with this bundle of energy? More importantly, how do you ensure that he is well and healthy to enjoy these formative years?
The right nutrition will provide the foundation for these physical and mental changes. He needs energy so that his body can grow and he can do all the things a kid should be doing. He needs protein, which provide building blocks for his muscles and organs. He needs all the different vitamins and minerals, which are responsible for hundreds of functions in the body. Different foods provide all these nutrients, so your child needs to eat a wide variety of foods every day to ensure that he gets all the essential nutrients. Good eating habits are best cultivated at an early age, so teach your child to enjoy healthy eating, so that he will continue to practise it for life.
FUSSY EATER
If your child only wants to eat one type of food:
- Try coaxing or persuading him to eat something from each of the major food groups
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Playful teasing may be effective If your child refuses to eat vegetables:
- Serve different kinds of vegetables cooked or prepared in different ways
- Serve vegetables imaginatively, for example by creating funny faces out of the foods
- Make feeding times fun
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If your child eat too little:
- It may not be a problem if it is just occasional and he is growing well
- It may need medical attention if it persists and your child is not gaining appropriate weight
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If your child is more interested in other things than food:
- This is probably because he is at the age where he just wants to play or satisf his curiosity about his succoundings
- It is not a problem unless it occurs too frequently
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If your child likes to keep food in his mouth instead of swallowing:
- Turn off the television, radio or computer game, so that your child is not distracted
- Provide a calm eating environment for your child
- Check to see that you are not feeding your child more than he can eat in a mouthful
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If your child won’t eat regular meals:
- Make sure he is not eating highcalorie snacks (such as sweets, potato chips or soft drinks) throughout the day
- Make sure he is not eating snacks less than 1½ – 2 hours before a main meal
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If your child doen’t enjoy eating as an activity:
- Don’t make your child eat alone or have separate mealtimes
- Eat together as a family
- Make mealtimes fun
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