Q&A: Parental Concerns: From Picky Eaters to Early Risers

Q: My 4 year old is getting sick all the time since he’s been in preschool the last year. He never even had a sniffle before then – he was home with me until he was 3. Should I worry about this? When will he stop getting every illness that goes through school?

A: The bottom line with kids and sickness is that all kids get sick – especially once they are around other children. We all pay these dues one way or another: either in daycare when our children are very young or when they are a bit older in preschool or kindergarten. For families with more than one child, you’ve likely noticed that your older children were sick a bit less than your younger children. Kids do get about 6-12 infections a year – often clustered in during the school year and especially in winter. So, for many of us, it really seems like our kids are sick all the time when in reality they are right in there with the pack. If your child seems to be getting very serious infections repeatedly – such as pneumonias and other infections requiring antibiotics or hospitalization- talk to your pediatrician.


Q: How can I get my child to eat?
A: Keep in mind that there is a reason the children’s menus at restaurants all have the same few foods – children have simple tastes and those plain foods are what the majority of children will eat. Most children become more adventurous as they go through elementary school but some kids do remain picky. The best course of action is gentle encouragement; offering choices and not making food into a battle. Find one-two fruits and vegetables that your children will eat and offer those consistently. Often a simple reward system will give your child incentive to try more elaborate foods.

A colleague of mine always stresses being “very matter-of-fact about food. Don't grovel and beg the child to eat, don't become a short-order cook for them, and don't freak if they don't eat. Just take it away when they are done and offer them a healthy dessert and maybe a snack later if they get hungry.”

Unless your child is having trouble growing or gaining weight, the picky eating phase will eventually pass. Keep in mind that young kids do have slow points of growth when they are young and don’t eat much during those phases. And, given how little kids are in relation to adults, their appetites and portion sizes are often much less than we think. Regardless of your strategy, keep mealtime fun and avoid making it into a battleground.

Q: My 2 1/2 year old is starting to give up her nap, and she still wakes up at 5:30 every morning. How can I get her to stay in bed longer?

A: There are a couple issues to consider. First, her internal clock is clearly set to 5:30 and that will take some time to re-adjust. You could try keeping her up a bit longer and see if that helps. In the morning when she does wake up, resist the temptation to go in and get her right away – she may fall back asleep on her own. Finally, she may not be as ready to give up that nap as you may think – especially if she is falling asleep very early. Perhaps a shorter nap with a later bedtime will help readjust her clock. A final consideration is that some kids are early birds and wake up at the first crow of the rooster regardless of what time they fall asleep. I’ve always believed that’s why so many of us parents are java junkies.

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