Marian Rivera's 'Hack' for a Magana Kid: 'Walang Bawal na Pagkain Pero Lahat Ipagpapaalam'

It can be frustrating for a mom to see her child refuse the food she painstakingly prepared. Thankfully, kids rejecting new food is normal, which is why Marian Rivera chooses to be patient in explaining to her 4-year-old daughter, Zia, why she needs to eat the food her mom places in front of her.

“Pinapaliwanag ko sa kanya — ano bang nagagawa ng vegetables sa katawan niya? Kapag kumain siya nito, ano ang mangyayari sa kanya? Pinapaliwanag ko at never ko siyang pagbabawalan kumain ng kung ano mang gusto niya,” she tells SmartParenting.com.ph in an exclusive interview at the Smart Parenting Masterclass: Toddler Expert Tips held last Saturday, September 28, 2019, in partnership with Nido 3+, at Loft Coworking Philippines.

The mom-of-two also shares her rules when it comes to Zia eating food that is not-so-healthy: “Wala kang bawal [na pagkain], pero lahat ng kakainin mo, ipagpapaalam mo sa’kin.”

Marian believes “the more mo awatin ‘yung bata sa gusto niya, the more siya na-cu-curious kung ano ‘yung lasa nun.” Whenever Zia wants to try food like sweets, her mom will just let her. If Zia ends up liking the food, that’s when Marian will try to control her daughter’s cravings.

“Kawawa naman [siya] kung hindi makakatikim ng mga bagay na pang-bata,” Marian tells Smart Parenting. “Lahat pwede huwag lang sosobra. Lalo na ‘yung mga hindi naman healthy para sa kanya.”

 

When it comes to getting Zia to eat new food, Marian shares another rule: “You have to taste it first bago ka umayaw.”

Most of the time, Zia will end up liking the food served, anyway. “[She’ll say], ‘Mama, it’s good pala.’ Bago ka umayaw, i-ta-try mo muna. Parating ganyan ang paliwanag ko sa kanya,” says the mom.

Marian loves cooking for their family, and Zia grew up loving Filipino food. Her favorite? sinigang, just like her dad, Dingdong Dantes. Marian says Zia even eats pesang isda, a simple but nutritious meal that consists of fish, cabbage, ginger, potato, and — since Marian is still breastfeeding her son Ziggy — malunggay.

Marian is thankful that Zia didn’t grow up to be a picky eater. Part of the reason why may be because the celebrity mom is very hands-on when it comes to preparing food for her daughter. “Ako ang nag-de-decide kung anong kakainin niya at hindi,” Marian shares. “At maganda kay Zia, kapag mayroon siyang bagay [na gusto] na alam niyang hindi pwede, nagpapaalam muna siya sa’kin. Sigurado akong healthy siya bilang hindi siya pihikan kumain ng gulay at mahilig siyang uminom ng gatas.”

Like any mom, Marian understands the fear of giving in to your child’s demands, because they might end up eating only junk food for the rest of their childhood. But she also thinks there’s nothing wrong with saying ‘yes’ once in a while, as long as you don’t forget to supplement it with the nutrients your children will need as they grow.

“Maganda rin naman na ibigay mo kung ano [ang] gusto ng bata. At the same time, ‘yung nutrition niya ay hindi na-pe-pending. Kumbaga, nabibigay mo pa rin ng buong-buo,” she says. “So ako, ok lang kahit anong gusto niya. Basta huwag lang sosobra.”