ENJOYABLE MEALTIME INTERACTIONS
Section Overview
Building positive interactions during mealtimes can be challenging. This section discusses P.R.I.D.E. skills (Praise, Reflect, Imitate, Describe, and Enthusiasm) that can be used to enhance your family mealtime and tips for implementing each of the skills.
What is P.R.I.D.E.?
P.R.I.D.E. is an acronym that stands for Praise, Reflect, Imitate, Describe, and Enthusiasm. P.R.I.D.E. skills are simple and easy ways to promote enjoyable family meals! Implementation of these skills during the family meal can increase your parent-child interactions during meals and make the meal more enjoyable.
Read more below to learn about the importance of each word that makes up P.R.I.D.E. and the benefits of implementing them into your mealtime interactions. We hope that this can help you take PRIDE in your ability to navigate mealtime interactions.
Praise
Praise the appropriate behavior!
Praise increases your child’s self-esteem which gives them the confidence to try new foods and know what to expect during meals.
- Labeled Praise: A labeled praise increases the behavior that it describes and increases your child’s self-esteem.
- Think about the difficulties you endure with your child and what behaviors you would like them to improve on. Give your child a labeled praise that will help your end goal.
- Unlabeled Praise: are nonspecific. Unlabeled praises include the following:
- “Good!”
- “That’s great!”
- “Nice job!”
- “I like that!”
Reflect
Reflect communication during mealtime!
To reflect is to repeat or paraphrase what a child says.
The benefits of reflecting what your child says during family mealtime:
- Allows your child to lead/direct the conversations
- Shows your child that you are really listening and helps you learn to listen!
- Shows that you accept/ understand what your child is saying
- Improves child speech and language
Imitate
Imitate appropriate mealtime interactions!
Imitation means that you are doing the same thing your child is doing.
The benefits of reflecting what your child says during family mealtime:
- It allows your child to lead
- Shows your approval of your child’s behavior
- Increases a child’s desire to copy their parent’s eating behaviors
Describe
Describe appropriate eating behaviors!
To describe is to state what your child is doing during mealtime.
Benefits of describing your child’s behavior during mealtime:
- Focuses on your child’s good behavior
- Can help make mealtime interesting and fun
- Let’s your child know that you are interested and paying attention
- Let’s your child know that you approve of what they are doing
- Models speech and teaching vocabulary and concepts
- Maintains your child’s attention to the task
Enthusiasm
Be enthusiastic during mealtime with your child!
Enthusiasm includes positive touch, laughter, and tone of voice that expresses your interest.
Benefits of being enthusiastic during mealtime includes:
- Helps your child develop positive emotions toward food
- Lets your child know that you are enjoying the time together
Implementing P.R.I.D.E. Skills during Mealtime
As you read above, P.R.I.D.E. can be used to facilitate family mealtime. However, it can also be used for other activities involving food such as: snacking while doing homework, eating in the car, and selecting food in the grocery store with your child.
You may be asking yourself, “why should I even try to implement P.R.I.D.E. into my family mealtime?” Well, it is important to note that mealtime P.R.I.D.E. skills can help to increase your child’s self-esteem, improve parent-children relationships, and can decrease problematic eating behaviors.
So remember, for successful mealtime interactions…have P.R.I.D.E!
