Reading regression (and academic regression) should be monitored closely this summer, so it can be prevented as much as possible during COVID-19. Children learn and make progress towards goals best with synchronous instruction. Synchronous instruction is a student receiving live instruction from their instructor. Unfortunately, school closures that have been necessary for safety during the global pandemic of COVID-19 has drastically reduced, if not entirely eliminated, live instruction for children around the globe. While there are many benefits of asynchronous teaching where a teacher is not live, the effects of the transition to remote learning on the school-aged learners are still unclear.

With this information in mind, here are some things to consider if you have concerns about your child’s reading progress this year or if you are concerned about additional reading regression during COVID-19 distance learning or summer break.

What are the essential components needed for good reading instruction?

The US Department of Education denotes that good reading intervention should consist of instruction in the following areas:

Phonemic Awareness focuses on the manipulation of individual speech sounds in words. Some ideas are understanding rhyming words, blending phoneme (sounds) into words and nonsense words, deleting sounds from words or changing one sound within a word to create a new word. As defined by Scarborough and Brady (2002), phonological processing refers to the “the formation, retention, and/or use of phonological codes or speech while…speaking, listening, remembering, learning, naming, thinking, reading, or writing.”

Phonics focuses on many different areas that create a good strong reader. Some of these areas include: teaching individual phonics skills and sound/letter correspondence; teaching the syllable types and how to diagram words into syllable types to decode; morphology of suffixes, prefixes, root words and also understanding of when words do not sound out according to pattern (sight words).

Word study also should include spelling, which should be tied into the phonics pattern of study. Word attack skills help readers know how to adequately breakdown unfamiliar words into patterns so they can decode (read) or encode (spell). Good readers have knowledge of phonics and syllable patterns so they can attack words easily.

Vocabulary is related to reading because the more you read the more words you encounter. Breaking down words into roots, suffixes and prefixes expands word knowledge as well.

Reading Fluency is a very important skill in which reading becomes quick and automatic so that they reader can focus on the story elements to understand what they are reading. Non-fluent readers spend time laboring over each individual word that they miss the entire meaning of each sentence and sentence into paragraphs.

Reading Comprehension is putting all the skills together to efficiently read passages. One part of comprehension is decoding words, however, much care should be taken to explore where in the process comprehension breaks down. Some examples include: making inferences, making predictions, understanding point of view, drawing conclusions from other life knowledge, etc.

So much of what we do in life revolves around reading. Therefore, it is so important that children, adolescents and adult get the skills they need to read efficiently. The best reading instruction is a multi-sensory approach paired with systematic and sequential instruction. Instruction in just one of the above mentioned areas is not sufficient. Therefore, reading must be monitored across all areas to ensure progress and independence.

It is the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that speech-language pathologists play a “critical and direct role in the development of literacy for children and adolescents” (ASHA, 2001, p. 1). This role includes the identification of children who are at risk for reading and writing problems and the development of remediation and compensatory skills that can be considered.

If you would like to schedule a virtual reading consultation with a pediatric speech-language pathologist to discuss reading regression, prevention or to take steps towards ongoing reading progress and support, please select a clinician and time that works best for your family using this link.

Wishing you wellness, ongoing progress and peace!

The post Prevent Reading Regression During COVID-19. appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Spelling unknown words better known as, encoding, requires a student to listen to an unknown spoken word and break that word down into individual sounds and letters. This process is repeated for each sound/phoneme within each word. Once the word is completed, it then requires sounding out or decoding to check to see if the result looks like the real word that is intended.  This is the reason that early spelling abilities may predict later reading abilities. (Oullette & Senechal, 2017) Reading and spelling both require phonological skills, therefore people with dyslexia are more likely to make sound and/or spelling errors that attribute to reading errors.  This may indicate that some sounds are not being adequately processed.

Processing deficits may present in several areas including: phonological awareness, poor phonological memory or short-term memory, poor speech perception, poor letter-sound decoding skills and poor writing.  As defined by Scarborough and Brady (2002), phonological processing refers to the “the formation, retention, and/or use of phonological codes or speech while…speaking, listening, remembering, learning, naming, thinking, reading, or writing.” In combination, all of these tasks can overwhelm the short-term memory’s capability and create a breakdown of one or more of these components for the student.  This starts to become particularly evident around the third to fourth grades when students make the well-known shift from learning to read to reading to learn.

It is the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that speech-language pathologists play a “critical and direct role in the development of literacy for children and adolescents with communication disorders” (ASHA, 2001, p. 1). This role includes the identification of children who are at risk for reading and writing problems, such as dyslexia. 

There are a variety of related-services and compensatory skills that can be considered for students diagnosed with dyslexia.  Each student is unique and requires a complete and thorough evaluation that includes all members of the students educational team.  Technology can be considered and trialed, when appropriate, as a compensatory strategy to help support students with independence and progression. Some types of technology to be considered for students with dyslexia are discussed in detail below.  If you have questions about your child’s reading, writing or diagnosis of dyslexia or are an assistive technology specialist that would like to add to this list, please reach out through this link for more information.

Assistive Technology Resources for Students with Dyslexia

Google Read Write

Use of a word processor or lap top has proven to improve handwriting and allow for more independence for a student.  The Google Read Write chrome extension further supports students by empowering them to use additional functions, such as talk-to-text (reducing the load on the short-term working memory), word prediction, dictionary (to ensure they have selected the correct word) and text-to-talk to have documents or even the students own work read back to them for auditory assist with editing.  Click below to learning more about Google Read Write.

Equatio for Math

Eqautio is a chrome extension that allows for talk-to-text math equations.  This is especially helpful for student that may have difficulty with writing out and aligning equations, whereby using a low tech alternative, such as graph paper, is not enough.  Learn more about Equatio by clicking on the video below.

BeeLine Reader 

BeeLine Reader makes reading on-screen easier using an eye-guiding color gradient to move your eyes from one line to the next.  This has been shown to be helpful for students demonstrating difficulty with tracking while reading.  

Reading with Bookshare and Learning Ally

Both of these options provide students with e-books that are adapted to be read to the student to keep them focused on comprehension and up to speed with the rest of their class mates.  This is a very helpful resource for students with in-class reading and also for their independent reading at home. 

Students can follow along with highlighted text on a lap top, an iPad or can listen on-the-go using their phones.  Bookshare offers the option for e-texts to be visually altered using a font that is evidence-based as being more visually beneficial for students with dyslexia call “open dyslexic font.”  Additionally, Bookshare currently offers free accounts to parents whose children are diagnosed with a learning disability.  For more information on both reading resources click the video links below for Bookshare and Learning Ally.

The post Assistive Technology For Students with Dyslexia appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Our family loves this quick prep and delicious go-to dinner recipe during the week. It’s easy, healthy and gluten-free too! This meal pleases everyone at the table, big and small. My child-friendly tip for this meal is to serve it with salad wrap, but also with a spoon for scooping up the drops of deliciousness that fall out! Trust me, you do not want to miss a single bite!

The first step is to prep all the ingredients. As you can see below, we chop and dice mushrooms, scallions, water chestnuts, garlic and white onion! Once all the veggies are chopped, it’s time to gather the ingredients for the sauce.

We like to measure everything out first and then mix it all together. Below you can see, hoisin sauce (we use gluten-free version), soy sauce (also gluten-free), rice wine vinegar, sriracha and sesame oil (scallions too).

Brown the chicken in a skillet. Add in the vegetables once the chicken is no longer pink. Next, combine the sauce ingredients and mix. Let it simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Then scoop generously into your choice of lettuce to wrap and enjoy!

The post Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Today, college students across the United States are beginning classes and making independent choices. I haven’t felt this excited since I was a freshman. This year college life is coming clearly back into focus. It’s significant for our family, not because our own children are college ready just yet, but because we watched my sister and brother-in-law bring our nephew off to college.

We knew the day was coming and we’ve loved celebrating all the steps along the way, yet my heart was conflicted feeling both excitement for my nephew in all he was about to experience paired with a bit of heartache for my sister who was bringing her first born baby to college and leaving him there.  LEAVING HIM THERE.  Wasn’t he just in diapers?  Insert flood flash of memories over the past 18 years and Auntie tears right here.  Tears because we will miss him, but mostly tears for my sister whom like other parents, is demonstrating the unselfish love of giving the baby boy she made and protected for the last eighteen years – wings to fly.

All that being said, as a feeding specialist, I couldn’t help but think about what and how he would be eating.  Most college students elect the food plan option, but the food choices are completely up to them now.  Will they make good choices?  Is gaining the “freshman 15” a real thing?  Here’s what the research has to say?

Are they making healthy choices?

The honest answer to this is…maybe, but sometimes no.  Early education models are providing students with an understanding of the importance of healthy eating and college students are able to communicate that they understand risks associated with over-consumption of fast food choices (Abraham et al., 2018) such as increased risk for chronic diseases, specifically, hypertension, premature heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. (Arsiwalla, D. et al., 2018) However, this knowledge does not prevent them from making unhealthy choices when socializing with friends or when experiencing increased stress.

Freshman 15

The post Are healthy choices hard for college students? appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Cindy Hooks Morrison, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLC

The Holidays are among us!  Are you ready for the next round?

I love holidays.  I love seeing family and friends.  I love planning wonderful food. I love picking out special gifts for the people I hold nearest and dearest and I love remembering families in our community with love. Holidays are busy, exciting, and full of spirit!

But do you know what else they are filled with?  They are full of kids that WILL NOT EAT WELL.

Since you’re bound to experience at least one set of raised eyebrows at a holiday table this year, here are some things you should know.

Holidays present their own unique challenges for kids when it comes to eating. Eating is a 100% sensory experience, meaning that on a regular day, healthy eating is hard work for little ones. During the holidays, we increase our feeding expectations and though unintentional, we make holiday mealtimes even harder for our kids.

Everything they are used to around mealtimes changes and all at once.  Yes, it’s true!  The table they eat at often changes, the type of dishes they’ll eat from (as you bring out the good stuff), the type of food you’ll make, the volume of foods you’ll prepare, the number of courses and choices available and even the number of guests that will be watching them eat. Pressure is on. It’s all different. Seriously, right down to their festively adorable, but possibly stiff, itchy or glittery brand new holiday attire they will be required to sit in.

During the holidays your child’s whole reliable world spirals off it’s access to a new sensory wonderland. Is it really any wonder that they want to flee the table like it’s a crime scene and run to go play with their cousins?

There is something else that changes during the holidays? THE SNACKING. Bring on the extreme holiday bread, cookie and candy making for the ones we love. Seriously! We are so excited about cookies this time of year that magazines dedicate entire issues to them, we host parties just to swap them and we even build houses out of them – even giving our children tubes full of icing to use as paste. Yes, paste. To paste on candy!

We practically throw sugar and carbs at our kids with a smile and they are T-H-R-I-L-L-E-D. We love seeing them happy and we’re happy too, because “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” just ask Andy Williams.  These holiday food rituals are a rite of passage. We did all of this when we were young and our kids will be fine, right?

Yes and no. If you’re struggling with eating this time of year can make that worse. And if not, this time of year could trigger a start for some children. Why?  Kids are reaching their caloric intake needs for the day with every holiday snack and cocoa break. Later, when you serve up a nutritious dinner, despite your best efforts, they aren’t going to eat it. They’re full. For real. They have no room left. And guess what…it’s not their fault.

So what’s a parent to do?

Do we lock up the cookies and demo the gingerbread houses?  No!  Let’s be real with each other. Holidays are about love and tradition…and about the food.  It’s a part of our culture that is not going anywhere. Despite the urge to construct a house out of whole wheat crackers, hummus and carrot coins, go ahead a give in to the gingerbread. Have fun with your kids. Research shows us that restricting foods, makes our children want them even more. Teach your kids that it’s ok to indulge in moderation. Get in healthy foods and snacks early in the day, so that there’s less pressure on all of you at dinner.  Be mindful of the amount of snacking you’re allowing and all of the changes that happen for your kids during the holidays. Pair that knowledge with realistic expectations of them at your holiday tables.  Hug your kids. Tell them their awesome and they make you proud.

Holidays allow us to pass on our family’s traditions and gift us with building new memories with our kids. Families come together to talk, laugh, sing, forgive, pray and love!  There’s no room in that for stressing over what the kids are not eating at the holiday table.  Focus on the love. Set yourselves up for success and relax.  If someone raises an eyebrow at your child’s holiday eating, smile and politely remind them that eating is hard work for kids!

Happy, Healthy Holidays!

____________________________________________________________________________________

Are you a busy mama looking for a fast way to get healthy, whole foods into your family?  JuicePlus might be the perfect option for you.  Click here for more details and contact me for more details!

The post Why Holiday Eating Is Hard For Young Kids appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

By Cindy Morrison, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLC

Holiday mealtimes have arrived and it’s go time for kids! While many families enjoy relaxed, low pressure holiday meals, others prefer a more formal affair. Regardless of your family’s style, holiday meals with the people that you love are the ultimate gift. As I prepare my children for the tables full of family, friends and lots of mealtime choices ahead, I keep in mind that holiday meals work best when we balance our priorities.

Here are Five Tips To Help Your Kids With Holiday Eating.

#1 – Get the Good Stuff in Early. The excitement of being with family and friends combined with all the holiday decorations and menu changes distracts children from eating well. Start your day right by getting the good stuff in early.  A healthy breakfast such as a vegetable quiche or eggs prepared their favorite way with a side of avocado or your choice of veggies will start the day off right. Knowing that you’ve gotten in healthy foods earlier in the day takes the pressure off of you and your children later, so that you can relax and all enjoy time with family without scrutinizing mealtime choices.

#2 – Pack a few familiar things from home. A big challenge over holidays is that there are a lot of changes. As adults, we love that the best dishes come out and that family is coming together, but for some kids the change to their usual routine can be overwhelming. If you have a younger child, a child with special needs or a picky eater, packing a few familiar items from home can make all the difference. Allowing them to choose a placement, plate, bowl, utensil or cup to bring along can help ease their transition to the table. If you have a child who struggles with mealtimes on ordinary days, it’s okay to serve or pack a familiar food choice to add to their holiday plate. Many children require multiple exposures to new foods before they will feel comfortable eating them. Holiday meals often have food choices that look unfamiliar to children and this can and does cause feeding refusals. Rather than struggle, meet your kids half way and remember that the reason for the meal is really about coming together to be with family.

#3 – Snack attack (avoid the post sugar melt downs). Holiday gatherings are notorious for lots of pre-mealtime snacking. If you’d rather avoid peeling your child off the floor after the sugar-high meltdown, think strategically about their pre-meal snacking. It’s fine to loosen the reigns during the holidays and allow your children to snack. Just keep in mind that as they snack they are filling their calorie needs of the day and it will be normal for them to seem less interested in dinner. Maximize on their interest in snacking by offering a greater amount of healthier snack choices such as dips and veggies than sugary treats!

#4 -Let them know what to expect. Allowing children to see the mealtime foods and the holiday table before it’s time to sit down can make a big difference. Let them see what’s happening in the kitchen. Describe the colors they see and the way the food smells. Take a few walks to the dining room to look at where everyone will sit. Talk about what you see in the room and on the table. Maybe let them help you deliver something there. Taking a few moments to familiarize your children to the meal and the mealtime table while traveling can ease their transition so that everyone can enjoy sitting down to dinner.

#5 – Be flexible. If you notice that your child is struggling or not eating well during a holiday meal it’s important to be flexible instead of strict. Give them a big hug and acknowledge that this meal is different. Talk about what you see: holiday decorations, fancy dishes, and most importantly, family joining together in love and celebration. Teach them about the most important parts of the day, like slowing down to talk, laugh and listen.  Remind them to memorize the faces, the laughs and the smiles of the people you love. Holidays pass by so quickly, so hold onto every moment of your family.

Happy, Healthy Holidays!

Are you ready for happier and more colorful mealtimes? Happy Eating Club is enrolling now. The next round is just in time to help you survive holiday mealtimes! Join us Janurary 9th. Use promo code: chewchew20 to save 20%.

The post Tips To Help Your Kids With Holiday Eating appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Let the magic of holiday gift giving help your mealtimes all year long.  Promoting healthy eating is something that should be encouraged in small ways throughout daily routines and across settings and most of all, it should be fun!

Rainbow Innovations Today I Ate A Rainbow Kit

I absolutely L-O-V-E this toy!  My new friend, Kia, did an amazing job creating a product that actually gets kids excited about eating colors.  I’ve recommended Today I Ate A Rainbow to parents for years and I happily use it in my own home as well.  My boys love keeping track of the colors they’ve eaten and enjoy eating a rainbow every day.   Want one for your home?  Use coupon code: chewchew10

Glob All Natural Paint Pigment Packets, Set of 6 Colors

Have a budding artist at home?  Check out these natural paints that are made from fruit and vegetables! Are these fun or what? Pair these with a few homemade vegetable stamps and create a beautiful gallery.  Invite me to the opening!

Learning Resources Farmers Market Color Sorting Set

I love this color sorting set.  What a wonderful way to reinforce the importance of a variety of colorful foods through play!  Color sort, sort by size, length or shape and then get creative with your pretend play!  Y-U-M!

Fruitominoes – Teal

If you’re going to play dominos, why look at plain old dots when you could be looking at the bright and beautiful colors of healthy food!

Mudpuppy Wooden Magnetic Fruits and Vegetables

I think these fruit and vegetable magnets are adorable and perfect for pulling out for all the snow days ahead.  Let your kids plant a garden on the refrigerator when the cold weather keeps you inside.  Use these fruits & veggies magnets to make art, build letters or shapes.  Let your imagination go wild!

Barbecue Party Game

Here’s a fun game to get your kids cooking!  Let them grill up vegetables and serve them with a side of giggles as they try to beat this silly, popping grill!

Prepared Slide Kit – Vegetables

Microscope slides for your little (or big!) scientist!  Get up close and personal learning about food without having to eat it.  Let yourself and your kids be amazed at viewing the details of healthy foods.

Petit Collage Nesting Blocks, Fruits and Veggies

Have a little one?  Help them build a tower full of color, fruits & veggies!  These sweet colorful blocks teach numbers, shapes and counting too.

ALEX Toys – Bathtime Fun, Tub Soup, 801W

Rub-a-dub-dub, there are veggies in the tub!  That’s right!  You can even reinforce the importance of fruit and veggies during bath time.  Let your little ones have fun stirring, mixing, pouring and creating a wonderful vegetable soup in the tub!

Vegetable Garden Playing Cards

They really do think of everything, don’t they?  Check out these vegetable playing cards?  How fun would a game of GO FISH be with these cards?  Do you have asparagus? (No, Go Fish or perhaps Go To The Garden?!)

Slamwich Collector’s Edition Tin

This is such a fun game!  You can expect lots of giggling as your family spends quality time flipping cards to build silly sandwiches!  “Slamwich teaches reading readiness skills, like visual discrimination and sequencing. While kids are flipping and stacking cards, they’re actually learning how to recognize a series, make combinations, and anticipate what might happen.”

Peaceable Kingdom / Feed the Woozle Award Winning Preschool Skills Builder Game

This game will get your family doing the hula dance, the bunny hop, marching or going crazy trying to feed the woozle!  What’s better than a feeding game that gets children moving at the same time? Nothing!

Chameleon Crunch Game

I love this chameleon game!  This little guy races around your house and challenges your kids to chase him and feed him a variety of colorful foods.  Not only does it get your kids moving; it’s adorable.  This is a great game to play and also reference at the dinner table – “let’s eat lots of colors tonight like the chameleon!”

Sushi Go! – The Pick and Pass Card Game

As someone that loves both sushi and originality, I had to share this fun game!  Gain points for making the most maki rolls or for collecting a full set of sashimi.  Chopsticks optional!

Happy Eating Club

Give your family the gift of happier mealtimes all year long! Join Happy Eating Club, a virtual coaching program for parents of picky eaters available January 9th! Limited enrollment! Claim your spot and save 20% using coupon code: chewchewmama

The post Top Holiday Gifts For Picky Eaters appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Has your social calendar exploded yet?

This time of year, every where you turn is another opportunity to nosh on wonderful, fun and delicious snacks and foods, but I can’t help but see the irony in holiday meal planning.  Can you?  We spend so much time planning and preparing large and elaborate meals, but then we sabotage those meals by offering LOTS of snacking on sweets!

Here are my favorite, healthy, holiday snack options to counter the urge to indulge on junk food this year. You can find more fun ideas on my Pinterest boards by clicking here.

Chilly Penguins

Oh my goodness these are adorable!  What I fun way to get in some veggies, good fats and a little protein, right?  The creator of these adorable little penguins used cream cheese, but we plan to try these using bocconcini (small mozzarella).

Snowman-wich 

I love this sweet sammie from Canadian Family and Disney Family!  Your choice of sandwich with veggies and fruit added right in along with those olives again.  How’s that for multiple exposures?!

Fruit & Veggie Christmas Trees

I’m a big fan of making food cute, but keeping it easy.  These adorable trees by Mama Papa Bubba and Mom Endeavors does both!  Working on adding the color green?  Here’s a way to do it sweetly!

Veggie Christmas Wreath

Seriously the easiest and cutest way to make a plate full of veggies adorable! The pepper ribbon is my favorite part. Just add dip and watch this disappear.  Another great idea from Super Healthy Kids!

Hard Boiled Snowmen

These fun little snowmen created by Crafts A La Mode are adorable and easy enough for your kids to put together!

Christmas Fruit & Cheese 

Fun, easy and cute!  Who wouldn’t love to set their eyes upon this healthy snack from Kraft Canada? Certainly not me!

Snowman Cheese Ball (or snow ball!)

This little snowman from Crafts A La Mode is SO cute that he’ll almost be hard to eat.  The only change we plan to make is to lose the crackers and replaced them with veggies and toasted pita chips.

Watermelon Trees

Simple and sweet with a perfect built in handle for little hands!  I love this idea from Eating Vibrantly!

Snowmen kabobs

Bananas, apples and grapes – oh my!  What a creative healthy snack from Family Disney. Another great snack that your kids can help you build.

Christmas Tree Pizza

I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, “wouldn’t it be amazing if children learned from the very first presentation that all pizza comes with vegetables?”  I love veggie pizza!  Get your family decorating these trees and then chomping them down!

Frozen Veggie Tray

I couldn’t resist including this adorable Frozen tray by Super Healthy Kids.  “Do you want to build a snowman?”

Pita Tree Snacks

These cute trees by Live Better America had me a guacamole!  The tree “decorating” options are endless.

Chocolate Dipped Clementines

Last but not least here’s our favorite sweet treat, because after all it’s all about balance, right? Of course it is!  Teaching kids where sweets fit in is all part of building a happy, healthy eater!

Happy Holidays!

Do you have a picky eater? Are you tired of battles or straight up refusals at mealtimes?  Do you want help from an expert in the field?

Get the support you need in the New Year with Happy Eating Club!

Enroll now using discount code “chewchew30” to save 30%. Limited spots available.

The post Healthy Holiday Snacks Your Kids Will Love appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.

Today as I prepare the Happy Eating Club House to open tomorrow, I found myself reflecting on a heart-to-heart with a wonderful mom named Teresa, who participated in Happy Eating Club for her oldest son and carries it forward for her youngest.  Teresa and I discussed her experience in the program and where her family is now, in their feeding journey as they consistently utilize the information, strategies and resources she gained in Happy Eating Club.

Happy Eating Club is a flexible 14-day program available online with access around the clock and around the globe to meet the needs of today’s busy parents. Happy Eating Club pairs access to a nationally certified pediatric feeding therapist with educational resources and support. Happy Eating Club redefines mealtimes and for Teresa and her sweet family, it has done just that.

Why did you join the program? 
I had been following Chew Chew Mama on Facebook and receiving her blog updates for a while. I was always impressed by the information she shared and was constantly learning from her. When I saw an opportunity to not only learn more but also have access to her to answer feeding questions specific to my family, I jumped at the opportunity! I have two boys–a seven year old with sensory issues and a three-year-old who used to be a pretty adventurous eater, but then turned pickier possibly from the influence of his older brother.

They were both eating some healthy things like fresh fruit, but other things were missing from their diets altogether and were a struggle, especially vegetables. My boys would literally scream if anything green was placed on their plates! I felt like I was running a diner, because everybody was eating something different at mealtimes. I was exhausted! I was hopeful that the Happy Eating Club would be the answer to my prayers–and it was exactly that!

How soon did you start to implement Happy Eating Club strategies and see changes? 
Some things I implemented right away, for example, I learned to get my kids involved in mealtime preparation and empowered them to be kitchen helpers. I was excited at how eager they were to be involved and I was surprised to learn that the real reason I should be involving them had nothing to do with the food. Happy Eating Club taught me how to make food fun for my family without hiding healthy foods.

Using strategies that I’ve learned in Happy Eating Club, I am happy to say that green vegetables are no longer the struggle they once were. At first I was nervous offering green choices that would typically have made both of my children scream and run away, but I implemented what I learned and I was completely shocked by the big smiles on their faces.  They were literally begging for more and my son even pulled asparagus off his father’s place to eat.  I’m still in awe at the change.

Some strategies are taking more time and repetition to master and I haven’t used all the tools in my Happy Eating Club toolbox yet, but I feel confident knowing that I have the best tools now and I like that we can take our time making gradual changes rather than rushing our boys.

The biggest change for all of us is that mealtime is now more relaxing for everyone. I don’t feel the need to be a short order cook anymore. I prepare the same balanced meal for everyone and then we sit down at the table as family. I don’t take mealtimes as personally anymore; I’m not stressed and my children are responding to that. They sit at the table longer, they are willing to try more foods and they will tolerate something new and green on their plates–my three-year old even gobbled down peas last night! Happy Eating Club has made our family mealtimes an enjoyable experience…something I truly never thought I would be able to say.

Did you find flexibility of Happy Eating Club to be valuable to you? 
Yes! I was nervous making a committment at first to Happy Eating Club because my life is so busy and often unpredictable with the kids.  Once I joined and the program began, I learned that it truly is self-paced. There were some days where I was able to listen to a couple different podcasts and other days where I couldn’t even find the time to login to the clubhouse. It didn’t matter–the podcasts and materials were there and waiting for me whenever I could find the time–a wonderful thing for a busy care giver!

Are program materials helpful to you?
The materials are wonderful!  The materials are helpful and really tied together the information I was learning in the podcasts.  I still have access to the clubhouse, but I’ve printed out all of the Happy Eating Club materials and find myself referring to them often.

Did Happy Eating Club provide opportunities to get individualized answers to questions that you had specifically about your children?
Absolutely!!! This is one of the best things about the Happy Eating Club–access to a nationally certified, experienced and caring pediatric feeding therapist!  Several times I wrote a question before going to bed and would wake up in the morning to a thorough, detailed, personal response waiting for me.  I couldn’t believe how quickly Cindy was able to get back to me (as well as all the other clubhouse members) and with such thoughtful answers. Truly amazing!

Would you recommend the program to other families?
Yes! Happy Eating Club has been an amazing experience for my family and I highly encourage anyone with a picky eater to take advantage of this great opportunity! You learn so much in two weeks at your own pace (perfect for busy parents and caregivers!) You receive an incredible amount of information ranging from how to add healthier foods into your child’s diet to the real reasons why kids refuse food.  You get unlimited access to the information and printable program materials to use as daily reference guides.

Best of all, you have access to a fantastic pediatric feeding therapist who is there for you every step of the way. Cindy teaches you, supports you, answers specific questions about your family, and cheers you on –every step, every change is a big victory for you and for your children. Cindy is a warm, caring, professional who is extremely knowledgeable and genuine. She has given me the tools to make our family mealtimes a happy and healthy time and I am forever grateful to Chew Chew Mama! Let her do the same for you!

Are you ready for better mealtimes?  

The next round of Happy Eating Club is enrolling now just in time for back to school!  Register now and use promo code: chewchew30 to save 30%.

Teresa is a proud wife, mother of two boys and an Executive Consultant with Rodan and Fields. She spends her days playing superheroes and hiding from dinosaurs with her busy little boys, and loves great talks with friends.

https://tcpara.myrandf.com

The post Ending Mealtime Frustration: One Family’s Journey In Happy Eating Club appeared first on Chew Chew Mama.