If you’ve been told to “let your child listen to their body,” you may be wondering what that actually looks like when they refuse dinner but happily ask for snacks five minutes later.
In this episode of Family in Focus, I’m breaking down five things parents need to know about intuitive eating and kids, including why an approach designed for adults may not translate directly to a child who is still learning to recognize hunger, fullness, and satisfaction.
We’ll talk about the difference between structure and control, why predictable meal and snack rhythms can help children understand their body’s signals, and how to support your child without becoming a short-order cook.
In this episode:
• Why intuitive eating for adults and children isn’t necessarily the same thing
• How children learn to recognize hunger, fullness, and other body signals
• Why predictable meal and snack rhythms can support body awareness
• How the short-order cook cycle can unintentionally reinforce picky eating
• Why structure around food doesn’t have to mean control
• A simple experiment to try with your family this week
Watch the full video episode on YouTube.
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About Dr. Wendy Schofer
Dr. Wendy Schofer is a board-certified pediatrician with more than 20 years of experience helping families build healthier relationships with food, body image, and emotional well-being. Through Family in Focus, she shares evidence-based, compassionate parenting strategies that help families thrive.
While Dr. Wendy Schofer is a physician, this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
This episode explores intuitive eating for kids, responsive feeding, picky eating, hunger and fullness cues, family meal routines, and how parents can provide healthy structure around food without using restriction, pressure, or control.