New Millennium School Annual Day New Millenium School (NMS) held its Annual Day celebrations in the presence of Indian Ambassador, HE Vinod K. Jacob, and NMS Chairman, Dr. Ravi Pillai. To learn about food, you need to get messy. That might mean allowing kids the freedom to stack, roll, squash or mash what’s on their plate, all to just get comfortable with the idea of a new food and its texture, scent, and colour. This is especially helpful when introducing foods they haven’t seen before. This is the key when allowing kids the space and time to explore. One more thing: Try not to wipe that cute chin or clean those messy hands until exploratory time is over. While yes, table manners are a very valuable skill, that can come in due course. In the meantime, opening your kid up to the wide world of food and all the sensory experiences that come with it is incredibly important, especially when they’re young. As parents, we need to make sure a child eats correctly through integrating development, nutrition and environmental cues. However, kids should have agency in this area, too. There’s a clear demarcation between the child’s role and the parent’s role when it comes to feeding and eating. Respecting these natural boundaries can make mealtimes easier and more joyous for all involved. Here is a rundown of how the roles can or should be divided: The parent or caregiver decides what, when and where to eat. The child decides whether and how much to eat. Adopting this approach is a helpful reminder that children need to be able to determine for themselves whether they want to eat in the first place – and how much of a food they want to eat. Remember, every child is different. What works for one child may not work for another. The most important thing is to create a positive and supportive eating environment. By focusing on the joy of eating and the social aspects of mealtime, you can help your child develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. Womanthismonth.com January 2025 69 LIFESTYLE | opinion
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==