Toddlers are messy eaters!
This page belongs to collection of short articles and videos in plain language, called Little people + food. The Possums approach aims to make introducing solids and toddler foods a lot easier than you might hear!
Making a big mess is a normal part of your child’s developing relationship with food. Some days you might not have much energy for the clean-up, and you’ll try to keep it contained. But overall, it’s best to set it up so that it’s not problem if your little one makes a mess. Experimenting with the feel and taste of food is an important way your child develops positive feelings about food and eating.
All around the world, families make mealtimes a special opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and the company of friends. We want your toddler to develop this kind of enjoyable, social relationship with food.
This is the best way to help your toddler develop a positive, no-stress relationship with different foods that your family normally eats. Don’t worry if they don’t seem to eat much – as long as overall, as the months pass and you go in for check-ups, your doctor or maternal child health nurse is happy with your child’s weight gains.
Acknowledgements
I'm grateful to Professor Sophie Havighurst, Ros June, and Caroline Ma at Mindful, The University of Melbourne, for their feedback on the articles and videos in Little people + food (brief & simple). They helped me keep the language plain and the concepts as accessible as possible.
