Are you struggling with picky eaters at your dinner table? Do you find yourself making separate meals for yourself and your kids? As a parent, mealtime can be stressful, especially if your kids refuse to eat the food you serve them.Mealtime can be more enjoyable for everyone - including you. On this episode of Become A Calm Mama, we’ll explore why some kids are picky eaters, while others are not and common struggles and mistakes when it comes to feeding your kids. I’ll also share strategies for transitioning into dinnertime and for encouraging kids to try new foods and become healthy, well-rounded eaters.Your ResponsibilitiesBefore we dive into specific situations and strategies, let’s get clear on your role. The fact is, you can’t make your child eat. This is the same idea with any sort of behavior. Our kids will make their own choices. So what part of this equation is under your control?As the parent, you are responsible for providing food and deciding what food will be available, when and where. You provide access to food and the opportunity for them to eat. You are the leader. You can certainly be considerate of other family members’ likes and dislikes, but you ultimately decide what foods are available.Your child is responsible for whether they eat and how much.Creating Peaceful Family DinnersHaving your kids constantly say things like, “I don’t like that”, “I don’t want to eat that”, “That’s not what I asked for” can wear you down. If you want to make one meal, sit down as a family and have everyone eat the same thing, start with the family table.The Family TableThe family table is not just about getting fed; it's also about social, emotional, and cultural values regarding food. It’s about sharing, connecting with others and creating memories.Serving food on platters instead of plating it can strengthen the family table. Think family-style rather than single-plate restaurant-style. This allows each person at the table to decide for themselves what they want to eat and how much. Your child feels a sense of control over what and how much they’re eating. As usual, your state of mind plays a huge role here, too. When your feelings about your child’s eating habits are more neutral, it creates more emotional freedom for your child. It becomes less charged and they will be able to follow their own cues and learn to eat for themselves more easily. Getting Kids to the TableOne of the biggest challenges parents face is the transition from playtime to mealtime. Kids may not want to stop playing and sit down to eat, which can lead to behavior issues at the table. I really like to involve children in setting the table, filling up water cups or other simple tasks to help them transition into the expectations of mealtime. This often works even better when you give kids a choice between setting the table now or in five minutes. It requires them to think and make a decision and gives the brain time to shift into the new activity.Limits for Peaceful DinnersPracticing Good MannersNo mom wants to hear that the dinner she prepared is “disgusting”, so we can set limits around how our kids express their preferences. For example, “It’s okay to not want to eat something. You can say ‘No, thank you’ and choose something else from the table.”Sitting at the family tableThis ties into a limit of when food is available. Maybe when they leave the table, that’s it for the night. Or maybe you include a small before-bed snack in your evening routine. You can also set a limit around how long they are expected to stay at the table. I love using a candle to signify the beginning and end of family...