Don't let the dining table be a battle field. Set limits and understand your child's behaviour so that you can enjoy meal times again! Happiness is...regular meal times Toddlers may be better off with six small, healthy snacks rather than three larger meals a day. Children need to be fed dinner early - tired children are always a recipe for disaster.

If this does not fit with the time that you return from work, save family meals for weekends or until your child is older. If you are late picking up your child from childcare, he/she has probably had lunch and afternoon tea and may only need a quick snack before bed.

Happiness is...a regular place to eat When the high chair appears, your child knows what is expected. An easy-to-clean area - kitchen or balcony - or a large plastic sheet under the chair means you'll be less upset by the inevitable mess. Older children like variety - a picnic on the deck or in a tent in the garden makes a special treat. Save restaurants for older children and take them for lunch rather than dinner.

When children and hungry, offer variety and encourage experimenting with foods they really like, or with food from your plate - someone else's food always tastes better!

Another idea is to involve children in food preparation, for example making up a salad. Remember that kids will often eat something they have made!

Happiness is...letting children decide how much they will eat Allow older children to feed themselves. It may be tempting but never bribe or force a child to continue eating after they say they are full. Of course, children will make mistakes and eat too much or too little but that is all part of learning! Also, don't fuss over table manners or unacceptable behaviour. Behaviours we may find disgusting are part of learning about food. Squishing bananas or spitting out food is normal behaviour, which will decrease over time.

By five years of age, children usually understand basic table manners but will not always practice them. Toddlers throw food as part of experimenting. A firm "no" and avoiding picking it up while they are watching will be enough. For an older child, a warning followed by a calm consequence such as removing the food is the most appropriate response. Don't worry - no child has ever starved from missing a single meal!

We hope that these tips are helpful but if you feel that you're constantly battling with your child or you're concerned about your child's food intake or if your child seems lacking in energy as a result of their poor eating habits simply consult your doctor or child health nurse for more advice.