I thought I knew what I was doing. Second baby. Pediatric dietitian. This wasn’t new to me. And yet… between the untouched meals, the thrown spoons, and the quiet realization that this wasn’t always going as planned, I found myself relearning everything I thought I knew. This month, as we mark one year since my second daughter started solids, I’ve been reflecting — on the questions, the doubt, the small wins, and the moments that reshaped how I show up at the table. Because in the end, it wasn’t about what she ate. It was about what she taught me: Feeding isn’t about getting food into your child. It’s about the relationship you build for them around it. As you navigate your own feeding journey, I invite you below to read the thoughts I had… and what lessons I had to remind myself instead. 1. Thought: “She didn’t eat enough…”. Lesson: Curiosity over consumption. I had to reset my expectations — again. She doesn’t need to eat the food to be learning about it. The touching, the smearing, the chewing it up and spitting it out — this is how familiarity begins. Some meals looked like nothing happened. But something always was. More often than not, the tasting came later — when I stopped watching so closely. 2. Thought: “I’ve offered this so many times… maybe she just doesn’t like it.” Lesson: Repetition builds comfort. This one tested my patience. Because as adults, we expect variety. We assume interest needs novelty. But for babies, it’s the opposite. Seeing the same food again and again is what builds trust. Consistency isn’t boring. It’s reassuring. 3. Thought: “Maybe if I just encourage one more bite.” Lesson: Resist pressure. Even when it sounds gentle. Even when it comes from a good place. They feel it. I noticed it in the pause. The hesitation. The moment she looked at me instead of the food. The second I leaned back — truly let go — she leaned forward again. It’s humbling how little it takes to shift the entire dynamic.

Ramadan is not about full tables — it is about full hearts. And yet, year after year, when we look back on Ramadan, it is often the small food moments we remember most: the first date at sunset, the scent of something baking in the kitchen, the way the table felt when everyone gathered tired but grateful. Food is not the purpose of Ramadan. Worship is. But food becomes the setting where mercy, gratitude, patience, and generosity are practiced. That is where traditions are born. 🌿 What Makes a Ramadan Food Tradition? It is not something elaborated. It is something repeated. - Tasting different varieties of dates. - Baking butter cookies together on the first weekend of Ramadan. - Enjoying iftars seated on the floor. - Inviting one new guest to iftar. - Making personalized place cards for guests at the table. - Displaying dates in a beautiful dish to pass around to others. - Letting children pass out dates every evening. - Sharing a dish with a neighbor. - Having one simple sunnah-style iftar during the last ten nights. - Eating a family favourite the night before Eid. When a child can say, “This is what we always do in Ramadan,” you have built something lasting. 🌍 No Two Plates Look the Same Ramadan is celebrated across the world. Every culture brings different spices, textures, breads, soups, and sweets to the table. Use this month to explore: - What did grandparents eat in Ramadan when they were younger? - What dish represents your heritage? - What do families in another country prepare? When children taste another culture’s dish, they learn that diversity is part of our ummah. No two tables look the same — and that is a mercy. "O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another." [Qur'an 49:13] 🤍 Keep It Spiritually Anchored Food traditions should support worship, not distract from it. Ask: - Does this help us gather? - Does this encourage gratitude? - Does this invite others in? - Does this simplify our lives during the last ten nights?

Enjoyed some fun moments with Mariya as she explored her food today. She fed me, I exaggerated my chewing, we played food peekaboo and laughed, playfulness was at the center of this mealtime. Hope to see you next time!