It's dinner time and your kids are hungry. When the food is out of the oven and on their plates they immediately start whining about how they don't like the meal in front of them. Sound familiar? Every family has a picky eater. Some more than others, but how do you deal with your children's fussy attitude?

If you child is being defiant and won't eat anything on the plate then it may be helpful to reward them with a treat or dessert. Make a deal with them stating something like "If you eat two more bites of potatoes and one bite of carrots then you'll get a small cup of ice cream or one cookie." Also a good tip is to give them two options like this. 1- "Either eat three bites of noodles and one bite of peas, or two bites of noodles and two bites of peas." This way they don't have an option not to and it also makes them think they are getting the better deal. Use different variations of questions but always give them two options that benefit your position.

This may seem overly obvious , however, it is important to consider your child's height and weight. Since we are all born with different genes, some children will have bigger appetites than others. Don't overfeed your child but make sure you give them enough to satisfy their hunger.

Having a balance in your child's diet is a very important for their health. Some parents may think its okay to feed them Cheetos and pizza each meal. This can be unhealthy in many ways. Your child could become obese for his age or start to develop a mild case of diabetes. Mix up the meals each week so your child doesn't get tired of the same thing. A balanced diet is something that can not only be good, but tasty. Many stores have children meals in a box that isn't to expensive and easy to make.

Children have a hard time going without food for a long time. Their metabolism is faster and need a certain amount of calories throughout the day. Make sure you don't give in and give them snack foods every time they ask for a treat. Mix it up and make sure its healthy. Cut up oranges or apples so its more manageable for them. However, candy if used in small porportions and less frequently should be ok. Maye once a month would be a good time table to give them a small amount.

The last tip is to follow through and have patience. Most kids won't learn a few times you put your foot down. Children learn very quickly which buttons to push in order for you to cave in. The more repetitive you are the more successful your going to be with getting them to not question you and eat whatever meal you put in front of them. Family dinner is also a good time to grow as a family. Turn off the T.V. Or radio and ask your kids questions about the day.