Do you think that kids don't like vegtables because parents expect them not too?

Question

I just ask because my kid never had a problem with veggies or fruit.. but then i never saw the big deal, it is food. It is part of a meal. I served them with as much expectation as I did with meat and potatoes...

Do you think that parents 'secret' expectations... really carry into reality

Answer 1

No. I think kids simply go through phases. When my oldest was a toddler he loved salad. The kid loved lettuce and cucumbers. We never made a big deal over any foods. We just served what we were having. As he got older he suddenly wanted nothing to do with lettuce or cucumber but he suddenly loved carrots. However, he recently stopped eating carrots. My youngest has never liked veggies at all. We've never tried to force foods and we never gave them with any expectations. Like i said, we just offer them. My youngest would see his brother eating carrots and want to try one. But he'd spit it out. Our youngest used to love pizza but now won't go near it. ??? They both have done this with a variety of foods. I think they just go through phases and tastes buds do change. I went all the way into my 20s hating peas but now I love them.

Although I do agree with you that in some cases the parents can influence their children. I had a friend who, when her son would ask for something, would say "You're not going to like it." That kid wouldn't eat anything. Gee. I wonder why.

Answer 2

My son has always liked fruit and veggies. I've never had a problem with that. I don't push them on his necessarily (meaning force him to eat them) but I do serve them with almost every meal. Sometimes, if a parent really pushes their kids to eat them it could be the child's way of reacting to being pushed so much..by saying they hate them and don't like them. I think some kids truly don't like some veggies, just like adults don't care for some foods but sometimes I think if a parent makes it too obvious the child will pick up on that and decide they are going to go against it.

Answer 3

All four of my children eat vegetables. I heard once that a child needs to try things up to 7 times before they determine whether or not they like it...so it is always put on their plate...from the time they can eat solids...and it just becomes a part of the daily diet. None of my kids are forced to eat the veggies that they have tried over and over, and despise.