Developmental Issues

A young child is learning to identify him or herself as a separate person from his or her parents. Toddlers like to try to do things on their own, although they still totally rely on parents to meet their needs. This means at some point they will like to try to feed themselves as part of developing their independence. As a parent, you are responsible for:

What food and drink your child consumes;
Eating times - meal, snack and drink times;
Where your toddler eats; and Food safety - ensuring that the food is prepared and stored hygienically.

However, your child is responsible for how much and whether or not he or she chooses to eat. Toddlers are usually very good at recognizing when they feel hungry and when they feel full. They can regulate their energy intake over the day, so if they don’t eat much at one meal they’ll make up for it at the next one.