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Does your child refuse to eat most foods and has a limited diet? It’s probably worrying you and causing sleepless nights. Have you considered a supportive group coaching programme led by an experienced paediatric dietitian to help solve your child’s fussy eating?
If you’re going round and round in circles and desperately need to increase the variety in your child’s diet, then you’ll quickly come to love End Mealtime Battles; a group coaching programme that runs for 12 weeks.
When Elizabeth first joined the programme, she said, “You are my last hope! My daughter refuses to try new foods and I really don’t know how to get a child to eat when they point blank refuse to eat anything new.”
She frantically wanted to solve her child’s picky eating but simply didn’t know how to get started. She’d seen other healthcare professionals, bought the books and had even attended plenty of masterclasses. Nothing had worked.
She was open to a group coaching programme with a positive parenting approach. But she felt uncertain about how it would all work.
Her child was eating less than 20 different foods at the time. She was concerned that she was deficient in iron along with other important micronutrients needed for her child’s growth.
Sound familiar? Then you’ll love End Mealtime Battles as much as Elizabeth did. But here’s the real reason why Elizabeth joined my group coaching program for fussy eaters.
How does a small group coaching programme work?
Small group coaching programmes are different from 1-2-1 expert consultations.
In a group coaching model, the group coaching process allows you to interact and share stories with other parents who might be in a similar boat to you. You’ll typically meet with 2-6 other parents to work on shared goals such as how to manage fussy eating.
It’s a non-judgmental and confidential setting where you can freely discuss your concerns.
Your paediatric dietitian will guide and offer support every week, but the bonus about group coaching is that you’ll get insights and support from other parents sharing the same journey as you.
Group coaching or individual coaching?
The traditional way to work with a paediatric dietitian is to book a series of 1-2-1 expert consultations.
If you are after the best possible results to solve fussy eating, then I’d recommend joining my 1-2-1 coaching programme called Fussy Eating Solutions Programme.
However, did you know that research shows that small group coaching of 4-6 parents for professional help with fussy eating can be another great way (if not more effective) and supportive way of getting help?
The main difference between the 1-2-1 and group coaching programmes is that you will meet every week with your paediatric dietitian and the same group of 2-6 parents who are also invested in solving fussy eating.
With both coaching methods, if you are highly committed and an action taker, you can expect wonderful results.
For example, it’s not uncommon for parents during the course of their programme to squeal with delight when their child has tried a new food for the first time in several months. It’s a joyous moment that everyone celebrates together.
If you enjoy forming relationships with other parents who are also trying to solve the same problem as you, then you’ll love small group coaching.
What are group coaching benefits?
Shared visions and goals
When you regularly meet with other parents who have the same vision and nutrition goals as you, the burden of solving fussy eating is shared.
Plus you’ll quickly realise that you aren’t the only one struggling.
You will go through the same sequence of sessions as individual coaching but you’ll enjoy the benefit of alternative perspectives from parents facing similar challenges. Which means that there’s an opportunity to not only be supported but to also identify the best solutions for your circumstances quicker.
Say goodbye to loneliness
Most parents who start to work with me share how lonely their journey has been so far.
The advantage of a small group coaching fussy eaters programme is that you develop closer relationships with other parents facing similar challenges.
You are no longer lonely on this journey.
You’ll experience a sense of belonging in a confidential and supportive setting facilitated by an experienced paediatric dietitian.
You truly will no longer have to feel like you are the only person in this world experiencing the challenges of learning how to feed a moderate to severe fussy eater who refuses to eat everything you offer.
Learning from other parents
My small group coaching programmes consist of structured content based tutorials as well as question and answer sessions so that you always have your big or small questions answered.
By utilising small group coaching tools such as video conferencing platforms and online course software, group coaching is easy to participate in.
In small group coaching programmes like mine, as mentioned above, there really is a wonderful opportunity to learn from other parents.
Every parent brings their own unique set of experiences and insights. This helps them share tips with other parents based on their own experience. You may find that some of the solutions shared by other parents, may not have otherwise been discussed in an individual 1-2-1 coaching session.
The group coaching model, therefore, provides an opportunity to get a wider range of feedback to your own questions from other parents as well as your paediatric dietitian.
And if you ever worry about being vulnerable or whether your questions are ‘silly’, please don’t as the reality is that everyone is feeling just like you.
If anything, when you work with a supportive group of parents, you reap the benefits of honest sharing and communication. This creates a wonderful and caring community of parents who can continue to support each other even after the programme ends.
Motivation boost for the tough days
My group coaching programmes run for 12 weeks so it’s natural that you may face days that feel really tough during the programme.
Seeing other parents consistently make small changes whilst working through the programme content can empower you on the tough days and will keep you going.
Group coaching can motivate and support you to make the recommended positive changes even on those tough days.
Accountability
When you publicly announce your commitments and goals for solving fussy eating to your group, you’ll feel a greater sense of responsibility to follow through.
Win, win, I say!
And if a strategy you try at first doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t matter as your children’s dietitian and the group will help you identify when it’s time to move on.
Plus, the discussions inside the group might spark your desire to try strategies you were too afraid to before joining End Mealtime Battles or to adjust your current strategy.
Sometimes a small tweak in what you are currently doing is all it takes to get the ball rolling and to jump on that winning streak to solving fussy eating.
Everyone wants to succeed, so as you move through the group programme, you’ll see other parents bravely try out new strategies. Tweaking and retrying what’s working and what’s not is part of the learning process.
So if you feel scared about certain strategies discussed because you have a fear of failing, well, the supportive “let’s explore this together” tone of the group will help you keep going even on the difficult days.
Having access to a variety of strategies can encourage you to dive deeper into your creative side and give you the courage to try something new.
For example, Elizabeth recently shared that she was feeling a little stuck, at one of the weekly meetings. From within the discussions inside the group, she quickly recognised that she just needed to shift her focus back to a previously successful strategy. So she tweaked what she was doing and found that it worked.
The following week her child tucked into a square of cheese – a food she hadn’t eaten in over 8 months!
The bottom line
A small group coaching fussy eaters programme can be highly effective. Using the strategies I teach you, you’ll be able to show your child how to try new foods. The tried and tested strategies work whether it’s fruit and vegetables, bread and pasta or protein-rich foods that you’d love to see your child start eating.
The positive focus of your group and the experience of your children’s dietitian will of course be key to your success.
But if solving fussy eating is a top priority for you today, then learn more about my 1-2-1 coaching programme called Fussy Eating Solutions and book your place today. Note that the programme only runs two or three times a year.
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No matter what you are worried about, I’ll help you manage these with confidence.
