What Does “Permission” Have to Do With It?

Marsha Dunn Klein founder of the Get Permission Approach describes the importance of “permission” in eating and mealtimes, and what it is and what it is not. She describes permission through a responsive lens helping us understand when children are giving permission and actively interacting with foods and in mealtimes in contrast with when they are not giving permission. When children say “No”, not giving permission, they are communicating. We will explore why “No” happens and how to support their mealtime learning without pushing into the “No” creating pressure. We will discuss the research around pressure at mealtimes and discuss the role of permission, autonomy and internal motivation in mealtimes and feeding therapy.