Do You Have a Diva Baby?

She turns her nose up at meals.

Your child takes picky eating to another level -- like refusing a sandwich because it's cut into squares instead of triangles.

How to help: In 1-year-olds, this behavior often has more to do with wanting to be in control than actually disliking the food. So start the meal off by giving your child some power. Pass her the bread basket, and let her choose a piece. If she pushes food away, don't make a big deal. "It's a mistake to pay too much attention to a kid who won't eat something or to assume she hates the meal," says Natalie Vona, PhD, a child and family psychologist in Englewood, Colorado. Instead, wait a couple of days and serve her the food again. It can take as many as 10 tries to get toddlers to eat something new. Be patient, and pretty soon your little diva will become a cooperative kid.

Originally published in the April 2009 issue of Parents magazine.