How Kids Can Socialize and Eat Lunch at School

Challenges at School, Parenting a Picky Eater, Sensory Concerns

How Kids Can Socialize and Eat Lunch at School

BY NIMALI FERNANDO, M.D., MPH, AND MELANIE POTOCK, M.A., CCC-SLP

How Kids Can Socialize & Eat Lunch at School Some children forgo eating at lunchtime to be social. Here’s how to get your kids to eat a healthy lunch while chatting with their friends. Chances are it’s been a while since you’ve ordered “hot lunch” in the school cafeteria. Whether you send a home-packed lunch with your child or they order lunch, eating in the cafeteria can be overwhelming at first. Coach Mel [Melanie Potock, M.A., CCC-SLP ] had a client who called it the “café-FEAR-ia” because the whole experience was a bit scary for him.

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Oct 29

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😒Is he going to be a picky eater? Maybe. But today he’s getting fruit for lunch and nothing else.

🤦🏼‍♀️Geez, this is hard. Hi, I’m Melanie, a pediatric feeding specialist and supposedly an “expert” on picky eating. Six books on the topic, 30 years experience and did I say this is HARD?

❤️That’s my grandbaby. He’s teething. He’s miserable. And you know what makes him happier than a pig in mud? Fruit. Going to @chickfila and all those cows. 🐮One of his first words was “moo!”) Being held A LOT. 🥹

💔And when you’re kid (or grandkid) isn’t eating, it’s stressful. But the occasional skipped meal, or a meal of just one food, isn’t going to sabotage your plan to raise an adventurous eater.

👏🏼Consistently offering the same foods over and over leads to picky eating, and research shows that. But you know what? Today we are just eating fruit and having lots of snuggles, or “huggles” as we call them in our family.

✨Here are tips to avoid the picky eating trap (when kids aren’t hurting, or sick). Try your best to…

✨Keep toddlers (and big kids) on a consistent meal and snack time schedule. Grazing kills appetite and is terrible for kid’s dental health.

✨Don’t stress if they don’t eat that snack or meal. Breathe. Try again in a few hours.

✨Focus on offering VARIETY. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. More if they want it.

🐮💗No matter what, keep it fun: COWS. Moos. Huggles.

❓Questions? I’m here to help – drop them in the comments. I’ll answer in between all the moos and huggles today.

🐮❤️🐮Melanie
#melaniepotock #teethingbaby #fussyeating #pickytoddler #feedingtherapy #asha2024 ...

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Oct 27

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😳That last one tho…Did you know that kids are “more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween compared to any other day of the year”, according to the CDC.*

😔Posting that statistic makes me so uncomfortable, but it’s important that we are proactive about safety. I want you to have a safe and happy Halloween...

🚗Tips: Keep kids visible! Glow sticks, reflective tape on costumes and trick or treat bags are a must!

📲🚘And if YOU are driving on Halloween, put the phone away. Drive slower than usual and be prepared to stop. KIDS MUST HAVE ON THEIR SEATBELTS because you may need to stop suddenly.

🤍Share this with your friends – thanks for helping to keep kids safe!

🎃Melanie
#melaniepotock #halloweensafety #firsthalloween #toddlerhalloween

For more information and tips:
*https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2017/10/halloween-rules/ ...

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Oct 25

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💦Worried your kid isn’t drinking enough water?

❤️Hi, I’m Melanie, a pediatric feeding specialist who not only helps kids eat, but makes sure they can drink enough water each day too!

💦It’s all in the video for you…but if you have older kids, then…

💦In general, Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends kids ages 8 and up should drink EIGHT 8-oz glasses of water per day. Keep in mind that hydration can come in many forms, like fruits, smoothies, and other beverages like milk. Always check with your child’s health care provider for specific recommendations for your kiddo.

🚽Hey, and don’t forget about PEE!
Yep, urine tells us so much about hydration. It should be almost clear to “straw” color. Darker urine throughout the day indicates they need more water.

❌And remember, no water for babies under age 6 months, unless it’s appropriately mixed into their formula at the recommended ratio.☺️

❓And how about you? How do you ensure that you get enough water to stay healthy and hydrated? Tell me your tricks in the caption, I really want to know!

🥂Raise your glass! 🥰Cheers!💦

🥰Melanie

#melaniepotock #waterforbabies #waterforkids #asha2024 #slpfeeding
Source: HopkinsMedicine.org ...

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