Preschooler with Clay (photo by Anita Patterson Peppers, courtesy of morguefile.com)

America’s moms and dads know how tough it can be to deal with kids who are finicky eaters. Parents who could use a little help along those lines should have a look at a New York Times article on mistakes parents make when trying to get fussy children to eat healthy foods.

The Times piece by Tara Parker Pope discusses six tactics that are commonly used by concerned parents but are best avoided. Sending children out of the kitchen was listed as one of those mistakes. Protective parents are rightfully worried about having kids around “hot stoves, boiling water and sharp knives ,“ but studies have shown that kids are more likely to eat healthy foods after they’ve participated in their preparation.

Illustrating the point is a quote from Isobel Contento, professor of nutrition education at Columbia University’s Teachers College and the co-author of a study on the effects of cooking on children’s eating habits kids. She observed, “Kids don’t usually like radishes, but we found that if kids cut up radishes and put them in the salad, they love the radishes.”

If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: 6 Food Mistakes Parents Make