“I don’t think my 2 year old understands. I’ve tried to implement The Rotation Rule, but when I ask her if she wants yogurt or cereal for breakfast she always says pancakes. How young is too young?”

Sound familiar? I get this kind of question all the time. The answer is: No child is too young to learn how to eat right.

Before you think I’m nuts, consider two things:

  • Babies learn from an early age that their parents will come when they cry.
  • Research shows that children often learn bad eating habits, like emotional eating, as young as 2 or 3. (Read Using Sweets to Soothe the Soul.) If kids can learn bad habits at age 2, how can they be too young to learn good eating habits at age 2?

But here’s the real reason that kids can’t be too young to learn good eating habits…

Implementing techniques like the Rotation Rule shapes how PARENTS interact with their kids.

And it’s shaping your interactions that ultimately teaches kids how to eat. (Even those who are pre-verbal or too young to have a conversation!)

Let’s take a look at some interactions. You’ll see what I mean.

When you have trouble getting your kids to accept the Rotation Rule, parents are thinking some version of the following:

  • “I’ve explained the Rotation Rule: We’re not going to eat the same food two days in a row.”
  • “My child doesn’t go along with the rule. She must not be able to understand it.”
  • “If she’s too young, I should stop trying.”

(Don’t know what the Rotation Rule is? Click here.)

Here’s the child’s version of events:

  • “Mom explained something called The Rotation Rule.”
  • “Mom offered me two choices for breakfast: yogurt or cereal.”
  • “I said I want pancakes.”
  • “Mom said I need to choose either yogurt or cereal.”
  • “I said I want pancakes.”
  • “Mom is getting irritated. She offered me yogurt or cereal…again.”
  • “I said I still want pancakes. I started whining.”
  • “Mom gave me pancakes.”
  • “Yum! Hurray!”

I say, this child understands exactly what’s going on. 

It’s just that she’s learned a different lesson then the one mom intended. The child has learned:

  1. Hold out.
  2. Make a fuss.
  3. Wait long enough and you’lll your pancakes!

The disconnect between the lesson you think you’re teaching and the lesson your kids are actually learning is the space where feeding problems crop up.

For more on this topic, read Eating, Seen Through Your Child’s Eyes.

I discuss all these ideas in It’s Not About the Broccoli.

 ~Changing the conversation from nutrition to habits.~