“Can you please advise on how to handle food aggression in toddlers? I feel like I’m going to lose a hand whenever I give my niece a snack.”

Playful little girl looking with joy at sweets, kitchen interior, copy space

am not sure that ‘food aggression’ is really a thing but I know what you mean. There are two strategies you could use to teach your toddler how to behave around food. First, be a model for her. Children learn more from what they see than from what we do. So, when you eat around her, when you are all at the dinner table together, when she gives you any food, show her the right way to behave. Second, whenever you give her food and she is aggressive, tell her calmly but firmly: “No, you hurt my hand when you take the food this way. Take it gently, like this” (and model it to her). Whenever she gets the snack in a nice way: praise her so she understands how she should behave.  

I hope this helps! Your niece is very lucky to have such an invested aunt. 

Love, 

Ana

Dr Ana Aznar

Related articles:

Tips for Feeding Toddlers?

Tips on Toddler Aggression: When to Worry?

Why my Toddler Says No to Everything

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