Q: Why doesn’t the Division of Responsibility (DoR) in feeding “work” with my kids? I thought it would get my kids to eat what I serve?  A: A common misconception about the DoR is that it will make children eat “healthier”; they’ll serve themselves veggies and eat just the right amount of food. The reality is that the DoR is not meant to control the way that your kid eats.  It’s not going to make larger bodied kids eat less and it won’t make smaller bodied kids eat more.  It won’t make your kids eat their veggies and it won’t make them stop asking for dessert.  What the heck??? So what will it do?? DoR puts your kids in charge of reading their bodies & listening to their hunger and fullness cues. It gives them autonomy and builds competence around food. It reduces stress and tension for everyone, and returns the joy to mealtimes.  Remember: YOU decide the what, where & when and your KID decides whether to eat it or not and how much. When parents do kids’ jobs (ex. “take another bite” or “you don’t need more of that”) and when kids do parents’ jobs (ex. unrestricted access to the pantry or eating only in the living room), that’s when things get messy & out of kilter.  The Division of Responsibility in feeding is recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics and  the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics as the preferred way to feed children and there’s lots of research to back this up.  The truth is that when you begin to use the DoR, things will go off the rails at first.  The kid you’ve been trying to get to eat more will likely eat less. The kid you’ve been trying to get to eat less will possibly eat more. They are trying to learn to eat independently.  Stay the course and trust that eventually things will improve.   Want some support implementing DoR and reducing mealtime stress? Reach out any time 🙂 Snack idea: Banana pops- cut a banana in 1/2 so that you have two "pops". Poke a craft stick in the end, dip in melted chocolate or yogurt & then roll in granola, coconut, chopped nuts. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour. Enjoy!