Knowing exactly what to do for your baby at every stage can be hard to keep track of, with changing advice as conclusions evolve through more research, especially in the digital age.
Two topics that are always big for parents are food and screen time. Navigating new foods and modeling a positive relationship with food for your child are important in their first years. And paying attention to screen time recommendations is key for healthy brain development.
Here are some tips from the experts via excerpts from the “Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby’s First Years: Clear Answers and Expert Advice for Every Phase With Your Infant and Toddler,” by Kelsey M. Klaas, M.D:
FEEDING TODDLERS
As your child moves into toddlerhood, you may notice a drop in appetite. Your child may become fussy about food, run away after a few bites or resist coming to the table at mealtimes. A beloved food may be the number one choice for days on end, and then suddenly your child refuses to eat it at all. These eating habits are common among toddlers—and frustrating for you!
It can be tempting to coax and prod your toddler into eating. But a child’s growth rate slows after the first year of life. Fewer calories are needed. Pressuring your child to eat at mealtime may end up doing more harm than good.
Think of it this way: Your job is to provide a selection of healthy and tasty options at regular times for meals and snacks. Your child’s job is to choose how much of each food and whether to eat. Navigating mealtime with this balance of limits and flexibility empowers toddlers to trust their internal cues of appetite, hunger and fullness. What’s more, it promotes an atmosphere of enjoyment around eating and a positive relationship with food. On the other hand, imposing food rules teaches children to override physical signs of hunger or fullness, and can turn mealtime into a source of tension and struggle rather than pleasure and connection.
Instilling in your child a relaxed, flexible, and accepting relationship with food comes with important benefits. Research suggests that adults who have a positive attitude toward eating and trust their own appetite cues are more likely to maintain a healthy, stable weight and be satisfied with their body weight.
They tend to be less picky and more open to new foods, consuming a varied and healthy diet. They’re also less likely to engage in disordered eating behaviors.
MAKING SCREEN TIME COUNT
Not all technology is created equal. There’s passive technology, which involves little thought or engagement—think watching a funny YouTube video or scrolling through a social media feed. Then there’s active screen time. Active screen time includes interactive games or shows that are designed to build skills such as problem-solving or encourage physical activity. Educational apps tend to fall under this category.
It’s ideal to watch or play alongside your child at this stage and create additional learning opportunities. For example, as your child navigates through a vocabulary-building app, you may help them identify words and how they’re spelled and used. Some research suggests that using educational content with a parent or caregiver is linked to improved language skills in children.
As your child ages, you can use compare-and-contrast techniques to teach how to evaluate quality programming.
Point out advertising that appears on TV and explain how these ads differ from
educational content.
But even among apps labeled “educational,” careful consideration should be given. Some apps appear educational but might be loaded with ads or encouragement to make in-app purchases. If you’re unsure of an app’s appropriateness, you can visit a site such as Common Sense Media (commonsensemedia.org), which lists recommended apps for children. Just keep in mind that the app should never take the place of one-on-one time with your child, such as reading and cuddling.
The third edition of “Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby’s First Years: Clear Answers and Expert Advice for Every Phase With Your Infant and Toddler” (Mayo Clinic Press) was published April 1, 2025. Find this guide at all major book sellers including Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon, and learn more at mcpress.mayoclinic.org.
