This is definitely its own long topic but I am being lazy. So I thought I'd just post these two videos which I think highlight the difference between when a baby is actively interested and engaged in a feeding compared to when she or he is done. It's so important to honor those "all done" cues because it helps foster a sense of reciprocity and connectedness between parent and baby, as well as a feeling of safety around meal times that she will be listened to when she tells yo

The family meal is important on a few different levels. Primarily, it gets everyone together to enjoy food and to socialize. It takes the pressure off of one child and off of the food and elevates it to a fun event, where everyone wants to be. More importantly though, when the family eats together, modeling happens. Parent's model table manners, positive (or negative) feelings and interactions around food, as well as important food messages about what is "safe" and "good" to

I got the idea for this from this pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/286400857524983776/ It's a great way to have fun with veggie sticks and when a child has fun with food, they are more likely to eat that food. On the flip side of that, feeling nervous or angry in general decreases appetite so anytime you can make positive associations at the table and with healthy foods, the better your chances are for your child maintaining his/her appetite and trying new foods. What you'll n