How to Get Your Kid to Eat: But Not Too Much

by Ellyn Satter

Book Overview

Answering a multitude of questions--such as What should a parent do with a child who wants to snack continuously? How should parents deal with a young teen who has declared herself a vegetarian and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0915950839
• ISBN13: 9780915950836
• Release Date: September 1987
• Publisher: Bull Publishing Company
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Peace at the dinner table!

As a Registered Dietitian, I have used the concepts in this book to help parents transform their feeding relationships with their kids! It is best to read this book before you even have children or when they are very young and problems haven't started yet, but if you pick it up out of desperation, that's OK too - the concepts here are a great relief for many parents: It is not up to you to get the food into the mouth of the child! As long as you are doing your part of providing consistent, reasonably balanced meals, your child will do the rest and eat what he/she needs. In fact, when you end the begging/pleading/bribing of the child to eat, they will end up eating better in the long run! The concepts in this book, when consistently applied, lead to a much more relaxed mealtime, less struggle over food between parent/child, and in my opinion, ultimately help the child achieve and maintain a healthy weight and healthy relationship with food.

Simply the Best

Last week we went out for chinese food and my kids (ages 4 and 6) were begging for more broccoli and carrots. "How did you do it" asked the people at the table next door who were begging their two older kids to eat "at least a few more bites." Last night we went out with friends to a "family" restaurant where they put the kids cookies on the plate with their dinner. Our friends took their kids cookies and wouldn't let them have them until they had eaten what the parents considered an appropriate amount. There was alot of fighting. Our 4 year old ate her cookie first, then her chicken and left most of her fries. Our 6 year old ate her chicken and fries first and then ate her cookie. There was no fighting. How did we "do it"? Easy. Ellyn Sater's "How to get your kid to eat, but not too much."Its simple method for dividing responsability in feeding makes everyone's life easier. Our favorite expression derives from the theories in this book: At the table we say "Eat it, Don't Eat it, Don't talk about it." Our kids know that this means that they don't have to eat anything they don't want but that no special meals will be made for them. We have desert every night and yes they get desert even if they don't eat dinner. Because there is no pressure or special reward, however, they usually choose to eat what is served, or some portion of it. The last things parents need is to battle with kids over food. This book will help you stop!

No more "short order" cooking!

I found this book when my first child was 2 yrs. old and a very picky eater. I had become very tired and frustrated trying to find things that she would eat at each meal...just to get her to eat SOMETHING! I was so relieved to learn from this book that I am not responsible for how much or even IF my daughter ate. I am only responsible for WHEN and WHAT she can eat. Since reading this book I have had 3 more children. And though they each have their eating preferences no one would ever call my children "picky eaters". I am constantly amazed at the great lengths my friends go to to get their children to eat or drink certain things. They seem to be equally amazed that I don't have to do the same with my own children. This book gave me the strength and the "know-how" to get my kids to eat healthy without having to force them to.

a must-read!

This is THE MOST USEFUL parenting book that I have ever read (and I have read a lot). No parent should overlook it, and this is ESPECIALLY true of anyone who has conflicts with their children over eating or who has a child who overeats or undereats.

The best book I have read on feeding issues!

How to Get Your Kid to Eat ... But Not Too Much is the best book I have read on feeding issues. The information it contains applies both to infants and to older children. The advice she gives can start your child off with a healthy relationship to food that can last a life time. Alan R. Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P. Dr. Greene's HouseCalls -- Pediatric Wisdom for the Information Age http://www.drgreene.com