One mum has spoken about her little girl and her tendency to take being a ‘girly girl’ to the next level.
The mum explained that her daughter’s favourite colour is pink, and as of late, she will only agree to eat food that is pink.
“She's taken this obsession with her favourite colour one step further in that she'll only eat foods that are pink,” she told Moncrieff.
“I'll let you rack your brains to come to the conclusion that there are not many foods, as you would hope, that match this description.
“I'm sick of using red food colouring or mixing ketchup and mayonnaise together to spruce up her food – what is with this fixation?”
If this sounds like something you’re dealing with at home, fear not, as family psychotherapist, Joanna Fortune said it’s “absolutely normal”.
She explained that it is common for children to “fixate” on a particular colour.
“I imagine the simple answer here is she likes the colour pink,” Ms. Fortune said.
“She demands it in all aspects of her life – and she’s getting it, so therefore she keeps demanding it.”
Joanna went on to explain that food is a “sensory experience”, so the mother should try refocus the pink obsession with different sensory experiences. This will hopefully ensure her daughter doesn’t only eat pink.
Giving some examples of how to fit this into everyday life, Ms. Fortune said: “Letting her make potions, you could make perfume – flowers and water,” she said.
“She can mix with water and fill jam jars full of homemade perfume.”
The Family Psychotherapist also said she should tell her daughter that we need food of all tastes, sizes and colours so that we can grow big and strong.
“Our body also needs orange and green and whatever else you want to throw in there,” Joanna said.
To ensure it’s an easy transition, Ms. Fortune also recommends that they continue to have ‘pink days’ where they eat all pink foods.
“You could designate one pink food day per week and work yourself to one pink meal per week,” Joanna said.
“Go all out on the designated day and really celebrate it - you're really kind of scratching that itch for her.”
Pink foods include strawberry yoghurt, ham, beetroot, grapefruit and salmon – not the best combination.
