Photo: Canva

Many schools have done a great job raising awareness about bullying. Bullying is never okay and needs to be addressed immediately. With this heightened awareness, kids may have a hard time differentiating between bullying and mean behavior. Here are some definitions to help. 

Mean versus Bullying Behavior

  • Mean behavior is saying or doing something to hurt a person.
  • Bullying is a cruel act done on purpose and repeatedly that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power.

Quick Quiz: Is it Mean or Bullying?

1. JD tells Marco that he can’t play basketball at recess because he’s the worst player in the whole grade. Mean or bullying?

Answer: It appears that JD is being mean. His words are intended to hurt Marco, but there’s no evidence of repetitive behavior or a power imbalance.

2. Molly makes fun of Piper for wearing the same pants to school every day. In gym class, Molly says Piper smells and later, she writes the words “You stink” on her desk. Mean or bullying?

Answer: Molly’s acting like a bully. She’s making fun of Piper repeatedly with the intention to cause harm. There’s also evidence of a power imbalance.

Context is important to understand meanness versus bullying. When it comes to mean behavior, there is often an underlying conflict between those involved. Regardless, both behaviors are not okay and can be painful for kids as well as parents. So how do parents respond to best support their kids?

Responding to Mean Behavior

Dealing with mean behavior is a part of life that we all learn how to handle. With guidance and support, kids develop skills to deal with meanness, such as speaking up, learning resilience, getting help, and putting energy into kind friendships instead.

As parents, it’s important to validate a child’s feelings when someones mean to them and help them decide how they’d like to respond (ignore, speak up, etc.).

Signe Whitson, author and national educator on bullying, has seen a rise in situations of mean or rude behavior incorrectly classified as bullying. She says, “I have already begun to see that gratuitous references to bullying are creating a bit of a “little boy who cried wolf” phenomena. In other words, if kids and parents improperly classify rudeness and mean behavior as bullying—whether to simply make conversation or to bring attention to their short-term discomfort—we all run the risk of becoming so sick and tired of hearing the word that this actual life-and-death issue among young people loses its urgency as quickly as it rose to prominence.”

Responding to Bullying Behavior

Bullying, on the other hand, is a different matter and needs to be addressed. Experts agree that bullying entails three key elements: an intent to harm, a power imbalance, and repeated acts or threats of aggressive behavior. Bullies try to have more social or physical power over their targets. They try to make their targets cry, feel scared or lose their temper. And bullying has lasting negative effects.

Even though it may be hard, encourage kids not to give bullies their power. Help them practice standing tall and pretending to be bored or unimpressed. Then walk away and get help from a trusted adult.

Kids develop healthy social and emotional skills at different stages, so unkind behavior is unfortunately common. These painful moments provide families an opportunity to revisit conversations about meanness and bullying and how to navigate situations. They also offer parents an opportunity to make sure their kids feel loved, heard and help them navigate uncomfortable emotions. If your child is feeling overwhelmed by mean or bullying behavior, be sure to get support from the school or a professional as well.

Additional Resources:

StopBullying.gov

Bystander Revolution

Cyberbullying Research Center

Stomp Out Bullying

Jessica Speer is an author focused on helping kids and families thrive. Her book, BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? A Girls Guide to Happy Friendships releases July 2021. 

This post originally appeared on www.JessicaSpeer.com.

Jessica Speer is the author of BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? Girls Guide to Happy Friendships. Combining humor, the voices of kids, and research-based explanations, Jessica unpacks topics in ways that connect with tweens and teens. She’s the mother of two and has a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences.    

Nostalgia alert! It’s time to go back in time and pay some serious homage to your fave Thursday night “friends.” Beauty brand Makeup Revolution just added to its already can’t-miss line of Friends themed products!

The Revolution x Friends line now includes eye shadow palettes based on your fave characters, lipstick kits, sheet masks, a Lobster mirror and even a Joey Ichiban Lipstick for Men.

Each eye shadow palette ($12) comes with nine shades, all with notable names that feature the boys. The Ross palette features the My Sandwich, Leather Pants, Break, White Teeth, Dinosaur, Fossil, Juice Box, Keyboard and Unagi shadows.

The Joey includes Joey (of course), Dr. Drake, Mary Angela, Nap Partner, Trifle, Turkey, Bamboozled, Tribbiani and JR. Chandler’s palette’s shadows include Hello Mr. Bing, Tulsa, Bigger Boat, Hypnosis, The Box, Cups, Eddie, Jack and Erica. As if the three new palettes aren’t enough, you can also nab the I’ll Be There for You 18-piece shadow set ($18).

The boys don’t get all the fun in this collection. The new lip kits ($12) are named after the girls, with a Rachel, Monica and Phoebe. Check out the full line of Revolution x Friends beauty buys at Ulta online and in stores nationwide, or online from Makeup Revolution.

—Erica Loop

Photos: Makeup Revolution

 

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There’s been a ton of makeup collabs this year, and with the way 2020 is going, we’ll take all we can get for a little escapism. When Makeup Revolution dropped it’s first Friends collaboration in September, it sold out instantly and now a new wave is here!

The second collection brings your fave pals and iconic images that include Central Perk and that cool purple door and photo frame to your fingertips. The Ulta-exclusive collaboration is already selling out fast, and probably because everything is $25 or less.

The lineup includes four eyeshadow palettes with can’t-forget names like “He’s Her Lobster,” “Grab a Cup,” and “Open the Door.”

You can also pick up a vanilla lip scrub, makeup bag, mirror and several lip glosses, one named for each friend. The collection is only available at Ulta and won’t last long.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Ulta

 

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It might surprise most people to know that through most of human history we were hunter-gatherers. For tens of thousands of years we travelled in small bands of “Sapiens,” foraging for our food.

In fact, it wasn’t until the “Agricultural Revolution” about 12,000 years ago that we decided to settle down and became farmers instead of travelers.

History calls this decision “progress,” but I think it was a questionable call. Here’s why we were better off as hunter-gatherers:

We were healthier

Imagine a giant open-air health club with a kick-ass cafe and no parking issues. You may be surprised to learn that such a place exists, and it’s called, “nature.”

It’s true, and for thousands of years we used to travel through “nature” unencumbered; like a bunch of hipster chefs out foraging food for their trendy gastro-pubs.

As hunter-gatherers, we were usually on the move, and didn’t stay in one place for more than a few days or weeks. Our travel was dictated largely by the annual migration of animals and the seasonal growth cycles of plants.

We ate whatever we could forage, and that wide variety of foods resulted in a very nutritious diet. Typical hunter-gatherer meals might have included a diversity of fruits, vegetables, edible roots, nuts, meat and fish. (Yes, it was the “original” paleo diet!)

All that nutritious, low-carb food combined with hours of “foraging” exercise each day meant that our ancestors were in tremendous shape, and the obesity rate was probably zero.

Not only did they probably look like (hairy?) CrossFit athletes, but they were really smart too!

We were smarter

You might scoff at the idea that people were smarter 20k years before Siri and Alexa, but hear me out.

All that foraging made us a lot smarter. Can you imagine the breadth of knowledge it would have required to be a successful hunter-gatherer? Just to survive you’d need an extensive, hands-on education in biology, botany, geography, and meteorology.

Hunter-gatherers were true, “Renaissance men” (and women!), with each person learning dozens of practical skills like making tools and weapons, navigating, mending clothes, starting fires, and tracking animals.

In today’s society, most of us specialize in one niche area and depend on the narrow skills of many others to survive. I mean, how much do you really need to know about the earth to sell insurance or design websites?

Sure, as a society we’ve never been collectively “smarter” and more “advanced” than we are today, but as individuals I say we were in our prime as hunter-gatherers.

We were happier

When we put down roots and became farmers, an interesting thing happened. We stopped living in the present, and started worrying about the future.

Thoughts of foraging for our next meal turned to anxiety about harvests months or even years in the future. We worked harder and acquired more possessions, but we fretted that we might lose them if a single crop failed.

When we stopped traveling, we put ourselves on a road to nowhere. Like Sisyphus, we began perpetually rolling a boulder uphill, only to watch it roll back down again.

To this day it seems like the more we chase “progress,” the more despondent we become. If things have improved so much, why are we so damned depressed?

OK, I’m “cherry-picking” some facts (that’s a little “foraging” pun for you!)

Could I really live in a world that had sabre-tooth tigers, but no flushable-toilets?

Maybe not, but I can’t help think we have a lot to learn from our foraging ancestors. Lately even peanuts and gluten seem to be telling us that we’re doing something wrong, so maybe we should listen.

When we were hunter-gatherers we didn’t have to contemplate our right to “the pursuit of happiness,” because it seems we had already found happiness in the pursuit!

I'm Missy, a mother of three and a middle school drama teacher at a private school. I'm obsessed with my Vizsla (dog), traveling, and the musical Hamilton. I also enjoy writing and sharing fun parenting stories, which is what brought me here.

Photo: Amazon

2017 is officially in the history books and along with it, shelves full of parenting research become part of history too. Fortunately for us, a few gems of research made it out of the universities and into our lives this year.

As I did last year, I spent the last few days of 2017 going through the major themes in parenting research to see what new pearls of wisdom we learned this year.

Minimalism is not just a buzz word; its benefits are backed up by research. 

We heard a lot of talk about minimalism this year in the media. On the heels of the popular book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, more parents were cutting the clutter, scaling back toys and limiting junk around their homes. Their efforts are not in vain, according to research. Studies this year pointed out that having fewer toys actually helps encourage creativity in kids. Similarly, we saw more evidence that simple, classic toys are more beneficial for youngsters than those fancy electronic ones.

Kids’ intense interests are awesome. 

Bring on the little paleontologists and toddler train lovers! Most of us who have been parents for a few years, know that our kids can go through phases where they are intensely interested in one topic–whether it be dinosaurs, trains or butterflies. I’ve always been fascinated by this and why it happens. 

Well, this year research answered our questions and informed us that our kids’ intense interests are a great sign. It turns out that those intense interests are a great learning tool for kids. It’s often their first experience with delving deep into a topic, finding answers and developing mastery of a topic (e.g., they know ALL the dinosaur names). Research tells us that kids who have intense interests tend to have higher cognitive and information-processing skills as well as executive functioning skills like attention span. You can get on board with your kids’ interests by visiting museums that feature their favorite topic or find books that discuss it. It’s a beautiful sight to see a child so engaged in their own learning.

Self-care needs to be on our priority list. 

We all know that self-care is important but it often gets pushed aside amide our long to-do lists. This year research showed us just us the consequences of lack of self-care for our parenting. Symptoms of insufficient self-care, like inadequate sleep, actually mimic some symptoms of depression making us less able to be patient with our kids. The result is often short temper and possibly yelling at our kids (and we all know that is not effective with our kids).

Similarly, research this year pointed out the mental load that moms carry (and yes, it is mostly moms). Although dads have increased their responsibilities for child care and household duties, it is still moms who carry the mental load. What is mental load? Things like remembering who is at what activity at what time, keeping up the grocery list and remembering who will run out of clothes if we don’t do laundry today. We all know mental load and feel it. Just another reason that self-care needs to be part of our lives. 

Managing technology is one of the biggest parenting challenges of our era. 

This year was full of research and media on how parents and kids are dealing with technology–together. Numerous reports emerged on how tech leaders are not giving their kids smartphones or iPads until they are almost adults. This, along with the Wait Until 8th movement, has opened parents’ eyes to the dangers of too much technology too soon for our kids. The challenge, according to research, is that we parents love our smartphones too.

New studies showed that parents who are hooked on their devices are more likely to experience “technoference” in the relationship with their kids. In other words, the device interrupts the parent-child interaction or relationship in some way. Device-distracted parenting is the new challenge facing our generation. This technoference seems to impact our kids as well. Early research indicates a link between technoference in parent-child relationships and negative behavior among kids.

This year’s revolution in gender relations affects parenting, too. 

The end of 2017 saw a seismic shift in how we discuss gender relations and sexual harassment with the development of the #MeToo movement. Although those of us with young children may feel a little out of the loop with current events (when do we have time to watch the news!), this movement will no doubt affect our parenting. Compelling articles and research pointed us to look at how we raise the next generation to deal better with gender relations in schools, workplaces and families.

The most compelling work I think focuses on how to raise children (especially boys) with a full emotional toolbox so they can be prepared to deal with people of all genders, races, beliefs, etc. In past generations, children were often taught to stuff their emotions down. However, our generation of parents is focusing on raising girls that are strong enough to speak up and boys who are strong enough to be vulnerable and emotionally available. This takes work, patience and a change of mindset for many of us. Fortunately, research can help us. Studies showed us this year that how we speak to our children about emotions matter. Discussing how others feel really does help children develop a strong sense of empathy. Empathy, of course, is one key to helping kids look beyond their own self-interest and become adults who do the same.

Well, that is a quick summary of parenting research for 2017. Based on this, I think my parenting goals for 2018 are clear: focus on empathy, managing technology, fostering interests and simplify.   What are your parenting goals for 2018? 

This post originally appeared on ThoughtfulParenting.com.

Amy is a scholar turned stay-at-home mom of two young boys. When she's not stepping on Legos, she writes at The Thoughtful Parent. With this blog she brings child development research into the lives of parents in the trenches of child-rearing.

Before we had hand-held electronics, we had other toys to keep our hands and our minds busy. Sitting in the backseat of the car, many kids played with water arcade games or magnetic drawing boards. In honor of their 60th anniversary, Etch A Sketch has teamed up with other iconic names to unveil a series of limited edition launches.

For 2020, the Etch A Sketch brand is joining forces with the beloved MONOPOLY brand, space exploration leader NASA, heritage toy Rubik’s and comic book marvel Stan Lee. Each will have their own limited-edition Etch A Sketch® drawing toys, merging two iconic worlds into one magic, shake-to-erase collector’s item.

“The Etch A Sketch drawing toy is one of only a handful of breakthrough toys that’s popularity spans generations,” says Arlene Biran, VP of Marketing for Activities and Building Sets, Spin Master. “It is a timeless toy that encourages creativity on a magic screen that doesn’t need WIFI. Our series of limited-edition collaborations with other inspiring and imaginative classics honors 60 years of unplugged creativity.”

“We’re thrilled to work with the team at Spin Master to bring the Etch A Sketch MONOPOLY Edition to market,” said Casey Collins, GM & SVP of Entertainment and Licensing at Hasbro. “As we honor major milestones for both brands this year, we hope fans of all ages will treasure this release for years to come.” 

The Etch A Sketch limited edition collaborations will be released in limited quantities throughout the year on EtchASketch.com as well on Etch A Sketch Day, July 12, 2020, marking the official day the first Etch A Sketch toy was sold.

Etch a Sketch
The Etch A Sketch® Brand draws in the classics with a series of limited edition collaborations to mark the 60th anniversary year. (CNW Group/Spin Master)

Etch A Sketch MONOPOLY Edition (March, $19.99):

As the classic board game celebrates an 85-year milestone, pass go and collect a limited-edition MONOPOLY-inspired Etch a Sketch.

Etch A Sketch NASA Inspired Edition (April, $19.99):

And after 60 years here on earth, we’re looking to space to encourage a new generation of creative explorers with the NASA-inspired Etch a Sketch. Because even the biggest space shuttles, started with a simple sketch.

Etch A Sketch Rubik’s Edition (May, $19.99):

With a cumulative age surpassing 100, worlds will collide with an Etch a Sketch inspired by the mind-bending heritage toy that has become a household name.

Etch A Sketch Stan Lee Edition (July, $19.99):

Out-of-this-world storytelling merges with the original magic screen inspired by the superhero of creativity who co-created such iconic characters as Spider-Man™, Iron Man™, X-Men™, and many more.

In addition to the collaborations with iconic classics, Spin Master is unveiling a new limited-edition Diamond Edition Etch a Sketch featuring a sleek black frame and custom crystal knobs available in limited quantities on EtchASketch.com. The company will also release new innovation with Etch a Sketch Revolution in August. This will be the first Etch A Sketch with a spinning screen that allows you to make circles.

—Jennifer Swartvagher  

Featured photo: Spin Master

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As a pediatrician, I know that one of the most powerful tools for ensuring the health of my patients and of all our nation’s children is nutritious food. As such, school lunch, in particular, is vital not only to their health but also their learning capacity.  

The Trump administration has recently proposed changes to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nearly a million students may lose automatic eligibility for free school lunches under the administration’s proposal. If this proposal goes into effect, these children—many of whom depend on school meals for daily nutrition—will be hungry at home and in school and therefore unlikely to reach their greatest potential.

For millions of Americans, particularly those in lower-income communities, access to healthy foods remains a challenge. Across the nation, many families rely on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to nourish their children. Without access to high-quality, healthy foods and nutrition education, children within these communities are not only unable to perform their best in the classroom but are also at high risk for preventable diseases, like diabetes and obesity.   

Recent studies confirm what I see in my practice: nutritious school meals lead to improved health and academic outcomes. Access to nutrition that incorporates protein, carbohydrates, and glucose has been shown to improve students’ cognition, concentration and energy levels. And according to a recent paper published by UC Berkeley, students at schools that contract with a healthier school-lunch provider perform better on tests. Additionally, a new impact study by KKS Advisors, commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, found schools that serve Revolution Foods saw an improvement of 13.1% in English Language Arts (ELA) test results. The bottom line is students who have access to healthier food at school perform better. Luckily, companies like Revolution Foods, which serve freshly prepared, healthy meals to students in schools nationwide including right here in the Bay Area, and other mission-driven organizations across the U.S. are empowering students to make smart food and lifestyle choices. 

A colleague of mine recently saw a teenage patient who just immigrated and was severely underweight. She just didn’t have access to enough food. She couldn’t eat breakfast before coming to school because she had to take care of her younger brother and get him to daycare. Without her school breakfast and lunch programs, she would have eaten only one meal each day. With the support of these incredible meal programs, she was able to attain a normal weight. When it was time to apply to high schools, she was accepted into one of the best in the city. 

As a pediatrician, I cannot do all of the work required to ensure the health of our children. Most of the building blocks for health and academic success are put in place outside of my office. Sadly though, in this wealthiest of nations, many families are unable to provide the healthy food that our children need to succeed. This combined with recent government rollbacks on school nutrition standards that have already affected the quality of meals served in schools threatens the wellbeing of our youth. If the proposed changes to SNAP are enacted, it could further jeopardize the health and success of our children and our nation.

With healthy meal programs at a crossroads, it’s crucial for lawmakers and parents to recognize the great strides we are making as a culture by providing greater access to healthy foods, such as enlisting the support of healthy school and community meal providers. After all, growing healthy minds begins with fueling healthy bodies. We can build a brighter future for our nation’s youth and families by challenging our government when they take away food supports and water down nutritional guidelines, and by impelling schools to ensure that the school lunches they do provide are as nutritious as possible. 

Kim Newell Green, MD
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm a pediatrician, the President of the San Francisco Marin Medical Society, and Associate Clinical Professor at University of California San Francisco. 

Introducing diversity into your family’s meal routine can be daunting, as kids are more likely to eat and enjoy food that is comfortable and recognizable, and often shy away from the unfamiliar. But adding diverse cuisines to your menu at home is important, especially for children, because when kids habitually eat the same dishes they may not get all the necessary nutrients needed for optimal growth and development. Introducing unfamiliar foods and flavors to your little ones will also help them create a pattern of being open to trying new things—leading to a more balanced diet later on in life.

As the Executive Chef of Revolution Foods, the nation’s leading healthy school and community meal provider, I am responsible for introducing kids to cuisines that feature new, delicious flavors and ingredients every day to create a well-rounded plate and broaden their palates. My culinary team has developed many insights based on thousands of student surveys we collect every month to create meals that kids love, and I want to share a few tips with you to make this process easier at home:

1. Tell them what to expect.

When it comes to introducing new foods to your children, their skepticism and lack of familiarity may cause them to turn their heads and refuse to try it. The key here is to demystify the unknown and tell them what they should expect in advance. One way to do this is to compare the food’s taste to other similar foods that they’re comfortable with. For example, if you’re wanting them to try a dish with tomatoes, tell them it will taste similarly to ketchup. You’ll have a much better chance of getting them to try it if they can reference a food they know they enjoy.

2. Create relevance.

Take events happening in your family’s life and translate them into the food. You can use anything—from what they’re learning at school to what’s currently going on in the world. When you tailor the food to something that’s important to them, you’re highlighting the food in a way that will make them more likely to branch out and try something new. For example, if your child values learning or playing sports, explain to them the nutritious benefits this new dish will have on their energy and performance on the field.

3. Start with small changes.

Start by introducing a cuisine your family may be more inclined to try. For example, Chinese food is a great starting point because all of the ingredients are laid out on the plate, giving them a chance to see exactly what they’re eating (unlike a burrito where the food is hidden beneath the tortilla). Plus, Chinese food is colorful, making the plate more vibrant and appealing. Stir fry is an excellent example because you can load it with veggies and protein!

4. Involve them into the process.

Have them help you in the kitchen! Getting your kids involved in the cooking process will help familiarize them with the ingredients in a way that’s both fun and educational. By incorporating them in the meal prep process early on, you’re giving them a front-row seat to see exactly what’s going into their food and how it’s made. You can also use this opportunity to discuss all the nutritious ingredients you’re using, which can open up the discussion on other topics such as farming, food cultures and more. When kids have a hand in making the food and adding the ingredients, they’ll be more eager to taste their own creations.

5. Use the holidays for inspiration.

The holidays are great for introducing diverse cuisines because you can cook in honor of the culture that’s being celebrated. For example, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by incorporating Irish-inspired foods. By choosing dishes that are associated with a specific holiday, you’re also educating your kids about history and different cultures. With Thanksgiving around the corner, you can use this opportunity to incorporate a new dish.

When you’re introducing diverse cuisines into your family’s meal routine, it’s important to include your kids and educate them on all the benefits diversity brings. Diversity is something to be celebrated, and it’s a great opportunity for the whole family to learn and experience new flavors. So, try out a few of these tips to get the ball rolling!

I'm a chef who specializes in elevating food, from turning airplane meals into a hot commodity to making clean, gluten-free dishes delicious. I grew up knowing firsthand the impact of childhood hunger, which is why I am thrilled to be a part of Revolution Foods’ team and help fuel children’s minds and bodies.

It’s not uncommon for parents to worry when their child begins showing signs of picky eating. As the Executive Chef at Revolution Foods, the nation’s leading school meal provider, I experience picky eating all the time. That said, I wanted to share my go-to methods when in combat.

Let’s start with what creates a picky eater. For some kids it’s texture, for others it’s their sensitive palate, but generally, it’s that their parents are picky eaters themselves. When parents are set in their ways about anything, it encourages their children to do the same. If this is the case, you may be unaware that your child is experiencing picky eating. Some typical picky eating behaviors that you may have noticed in your child include:

  • Refusing food because of its color or texture
  • Choosing a couple foods he or she likes and refusing to eat anything else
  • Spending time at the table doing anything but eating

The good news? These behaviors are all very normal and will fade with growth. In the meantime, try the below tricks to help keep your child’s pallet and nutrition on track for a happy, healthy future.

1. Use their habitual nature to your advantage.

Kids and adults are similar in the sense that they can be habitual and trusting of restaurants that they already know they’re going to like. You can use this tendency of theirs to your advantage when getting them to try new things. If your child is already comfortable with the chicken tenders and the mac n cheese from a restaurant, they’ll be more easily convinced that the grilled chicken salad might be trustworthy, too.

This restaurant tactic can also be utilized if you’re facing the issue of your child resenting you when it comes to trying new foods. When you make healthy eating a chore by insisting kids remain at the table until their peas are gone, it’s in their nature to rebel and put up barriers. When a fancy new meal is being delivered by a chef, however, they’ll be much more inclined to give it a go.

2. Let them play.

Use their playful imagination and create edible artwork to combat their pickiness. Animal-shaped foods and pops of color are going to motivate kids to try anything and everything you put in front of them. Adding a rainbow of veggies to your child’s plate might make them more excited to dig in and less inclined to hide them in their napkins, and as a result, you’ll also be filling them with vitamins and minerals that they may have been previously lacking.

3. Don’t feel bad about getting sneaky.

Creating dishes that contain hidden healthy ingredients inside is another great trick to get kids to try new foods. If you know they like fruit, whip up a smoothie with added veggies and protein. This is a great way to ensure kids are getting the nutrients they need, but since we’re talking about picky eaters, a best practice is to ensure they’re watching you put the “good” ingredients in. Their ears will perk up when they see you add in all of their favorite fruits and yogurt, and your days of persuading will be behind you.

4. And lastly, be patient.

Let’s refer back to my first point here: don’t worry! Just because your child starts off as a picky eater, doesn’t mean they’re going to stay that way. Kids tastes evolve as they grow. As a chef, the goal for me is to allow a picky eater to be relatively picky as long as I can see that they’re slowly expanding their horizons. Their friends come in handy this way; the different foods kids see their friends eating and enjoying will help them grow their pallet naturally.

Companies like Revolution Foods also comes in handy when it comes to giving kids that gentle push to expand their horizons. They intentionally craft culturally and regionally relevant menus to deliver great-tasting meals that broaden kids’ palates on a daily basis.

Kids have a mind of their own. Feel free to let them stick to that mindset knowing that in time, and with a few new tricks up your sleeve, they’ll get through their picky eating phase as they get through everything—with Mom & Dad’s patience and creativity of course.

I'm a chef who specializes in elevating food, from turning airplane meals into a hot commodity to making clean, gluten-free dishes delicious. I grew up knowing firsthand the impact of childhood hunger, which is why I am thrilled to be a part of Revolution Foods’ team and help fuel children’s minds and bodies.