How to encourage your child to eat with utensils. 4 parenting tips.
For a child, the dinner table is filled with rules and manners and something called etiquette which can be difficult to navigate. Sometimes children become rebellious against the rules of the dinner table and might refuse to use their utensils to eat. No matter the reason, if your child is going through a phase in which they do not want to eat with utensils there is a fun way to encourage them to pick up their spoon and fork again.
1. Turn meals into an elegant event.
Many families rush through their meals or eat in front of the TV. Busy families might get fast food on the way home. And old traditions like dressing up for dinner and using unique dishes and utensils have also disappeared. In any case, meals have become a mundane chore for many families. This might not be why your child refuses to eat with utensils, but turning your mealtime into an elegant event might encourage your child to join in the fun.
2. Get creative with the details.
You don’t have to spend hours preparing a fancy meal, but you can focus on some details that will turn a mediocre meal into a special event. A meal itinerary is a quick and easy way to improve your family’s dinner experience. Setting the table with a nice tablecloth and candles is also an easy and inexpensive way to create an elegant mood. You can also encourage your family to dress up for dinner and cook a yummy homemade meal. Giving sleek treatment to your mealtime will motivate your children to eat with utensils again. Plus, have them help clear the table after a meal to become more familiar with utensils as a standard eating tool.
3. Teach your child about old family traditions.
Use mealtime to teach your child about customs from your family and other families and cultures. Explain the differences between the salad fork and the dinner fork. Talk about the different cuisines around the world. You can even plan themed meals and bring a globe to show where your culinary delights come from. Turning dinner time into an elegant event is a fun and straightforward way to get your children to eat with utensils.
4. Reward good behaviors.
Let your child add wishes to the family’s universal gift list from Wishfinity. Reward them as they master new life skills such as eating properly with utensils. They’ll be motivated to do what they’re supposed to when they’re incentivized by the prize at the end of the journey.