Picky Eater at the Table?

Don’t worry, this too will probably pass

My granddaughter in action. Photo credit: Catherine Oceano, author

I’ve been taking some courses to re-certify my Early Childhood Educator status. It appears I might have to go back to work to sustain the lifestyle I wish to become accustomed to in retirement. In reality, our financial planning was not the best. Don’t do what we did.

To update my certificates I have to document 40 hours of relevant education. Fortunately, there are lots offered online through various institutes and professional associations. It’s not hard to find them.

I’ve completed twenty-two hours of classes on challenging behaviours. Did you know that it’s not the child who is the challenge? The real challenge is how we respond to them.

I’ve done a course on biting; I already knew this, but taking a chomp out of the child’s arm is no longer recommended after they have bitten someone. This was something my mother’s generation suggested. The idea was that you would teach them what it felt like to be bitten.

Can you imagine biting a poor toddler who was simply looking to solve an emerging tooth pain or express frustration when someone took their toy? There are many other ways to respond. I’ve learned them all.

The most recent class I took was on picky eaters.