Description

“Uma the Unicorn” tackles the very common problem of picky eating in young children. Many kids struggle in some capacity with picky eating or eating a varied, healthy diet. Disagreements about eating and restricted food choices can be one of the more frustrating things parents deal with.

Choosing foods to eat is a really big deal for kids, because in many cases this is one of the only areas of their lives in which they can exert some control. While most things are dictated to them by the adults caring for them, it is difficult (if not impossible) to force a child to eat or drink anything they don’t want to. Children often exercise their normal, developmentally appropriate desire for independence and control through food preferences and refusal – how powerful it is to be able to say “no” and to assert yourself in this way!

Which is all to say that picky eating isn’t always about liking or disliking specific foods as much as it is about exerting control and taking pleasure in one’s emerging autonomy and the ways this affects caregivers.

Like most difficult things, picky eating is typically temporary, and with the right tools you too can survive this challenging phase. You may even find that what was once frustrating or miserable can even become playful or offer a shared opportunity to learn and try new things together!