Q: My 4-year-old son is normal is every respect. But I have problems in feeding him and it takes me at least an hour to feed him rice and dal. He keeps the food in his mouth for a long time. If I let him eat on his own, he makes a mess of it. Most of the time he just plays with the food. If I wait till he is hungry and asks for food himself, he gets so hungry that he starts crying for milk and does not eat any food. The teacher at his pre-school says that he does not eat snacks. Will it be a good idea to keep him in the company of other kids of his age for few days so that he learns to eat on his own by seeing them? What other remedies can I try?

A:Eating problems are common in young children and are best addressed by not fussing over them. Do not give in to his demand for milk whenever hungry. Do not keep too many snacks or junk food handy. Instead keep fruits and vegetables around. Make meal times relaxed and not battle grounds. It is definitely a good idea to let the child eat with other children as modelling.