Sherry P. from Miami, Oklahoma is a daycare provider and has been working with children for almost 40 years. One of ways she encourages her young charges to eat more vegetables is to let each child take turns at picking one each day. “Of course I limit choices to two or three – say corn, peas, or green beans,” she advises. “That way they feel like they have some control over what they eat. I also give them some choices that they can say ‘no’ to such as pickles or salads.

Being able to have a say in what they eat seems to help.” Sherry also adds more fruit to their diet by adding it to Jell-O, which they really seem to like. “Another thing that I do is to use meal times as a time to talk with each other. I ask kids about things that are going on in their lives and they do not even notice what they are eating,” she says.

Often, parents worry that if they do not prepare specific foods that their picky eater children like to eat, they will wither away. However, Dr. Karen Sadler, a pediatrician in Boston, MA, and panel expert at Baby Zone (www.babyzone.com), says that hunger is a powerful drive and young children will not starve themselves to point of danger. To help promote a lifetime of better eating habits, she makes following recommendations:

Offer your picky eater child a few nutritious food choices at dinner table. What is not eaten in 20 minutes can be wrapped up and offered as a later snack. Give your child power to choose, but from among healthy choices, berries or orange wedges, for example.

For more great picky eater advice, tips and even some great tasting, easy to prepare picky eater recipes... visit http://www.mypickyeater.com

You slink back to join them, angry, hurt and frustrated, and eat your lunch in silence. Lunch over; you all wearily climb onto your bikes for seemingly endless ride home. How did our happy day go wrong? What, if anything, should be done about it? Do you simply hope and pray for arrival of Monday morning and refuge of work routine? No! It’s essential to communicate with your partner.

Plan a Response Often, our first reaction when faced with a difference in styles is, "That's not what I would do." Conflicts bubble to surface when one or both partners operate with “my way is right way” mentality. Discussing and resolving a conflict is only way to minimize negative impact differing parenting styles can have on family. An unresolved conflict in parenting styles is one of leading causes of partner breakups.

Relying on some of following may minimize your distress as you plan a response:

Communication: Take time to discuss each other's parenting styles and values. Work on listening to your partner as carefully as you would like them to listen to you. Awareness (self and others, especially your child): Be aware if your own childhood is influencing how you are reacting to your child or your co-parent, and assess if your reaction is a fit for today's situation. Ask yourself: Why did you react that way? Why did they?

Ownership (your actions/non-actions): Don’t play blame game. Examine what role your actions or non-actions played in conflict.

Control (who has it; who needs it): Understand each other's needs for this vital resource. Strive to be more flexible and to not have to always be in control. Never undermine your partner or your partner's parenting in front of your children.

Resolution (bring issues to closure): Unresolved issues are a sure course to dissolution. Don't put off dealing with important conflicts.

Keep in mind: Despite your differences, you both want what’s best for children. This wasn't first conflict and it probably won't be last. The next time you and your spouse lock horns over a parenting matter, remember to relax, be compassionate, and know that your kids need you both.