The first meals of the children in the school canteen
The beginning of the school is an important milestone in the life of a child, as is the first day of daycare or his first night separated from father and mother. It is true that most of the children who attend nurseries from an early age are already used to taking their food in these places, but the
The beginning of the school is an important milestone in the life of a child, as is the first day of daycare or his first night separated from father and mother. It is true that most of the children who attend nurseries from an early age are already used to taking their food in these places, but the truth is that the differences between the canteens of the nurseries and the school canteens are certainly huge for them
The first meals of the children in the school canteen are not easy, not only do they face a new place, unbelievably bigger than the one they have just left, but also, it is full of unknown people, much older children who are the owners of the territory.
Tips for dealing with the first meals of children in the school canteen
Although many children will be more than prepared both emotionally and physically for the change, the first meals of the children in the school canteen, in a new school can become a challenge for some of these little ones, and as parents, we can facilitate this transition by following some simple and easy guidelines.
- If the child still eats puree, it is convenient that the child goes familiarizing himself with the movements necessary for chewing but without chewing, incorporating small pieces of food that fall apart in the mouth, or changing the texture of the same using a fork to crush it instead of the blender. Little by little you can increase the size of the pieces, always taking into account that they are easy to chew, so that the child gets used to having pieces in the mouth although they do not require an intense chewing
- The child should sit down and share the time of the meal with the rest of the family, getting used to eating with other people who have the same on the plate.
- Fork and spoon should be placed within reach (knives are probably neither appropriate nor necessary, since the lunchroom staff will help the child) and encourage the child to use them. -
The child should eat alone sin, without the help of the parents, because the lunchroom staff is very likely not to be able to help the children in those first meals, so the sooner they are able to do it independently, the less overwhelmed they are You will feel when you have to do it in the dining room. - Although it is not ideal,you should try to set a limit on the time used in meals,
since at school, especially if there are two meal shifts, as often happens in schools of moderate size, children They will have a certain time to finish their dishes. - The most substantial difference with respect to what the child could eat in the nursery could be the change of a single dish-a puree that takes everything incorporated- to three
, first, second and dessert. In many cases the youngest will have enough with the first course and will gradually get used to the new menu.
