I lived in the US for ten years. I watched families there encourage their kids to feed themselves from early on. I told myself: one day, my kids will feed themselves too, and tell me what they like and don't like, without being pushed to eat. Eating is such a big part of life. I wanted them to enjoy it.
In Macau, I started my own food business, making lunchboxes for kids. Parents could take one along to a restaurant, so their child had something right to eat while the grown-ups ordered from the menu. Seeing kids enjoy the food, and hearing back from their parents, gave me the biggest sense of accomplishment I've ever had.
I also worked with kids who struggled to eat. One boy changed how I think. His mom worked very long hours and didn't know how to help him either. Aside from making his lunchboxes, I also guided his helper on how to help him at mealtimes. That's when I saw it: the person who could really help was the one at the table with him every day. Back then, I didn't know how to do that for more families. It stayed with me.
In Singapore, I built on what I'd learned in Macau. I worked with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) on food messy play sessions, and ran Baby-Led Weaning programmes for moms starting their babies on solids at 6 months. The aim was always the same: less pressure at the table, so trying new food feels calm and fun. By 9 months, many of those babies were eager to feed themselves. No more battles over food.
Through this work, I noticed something. A session is one morning, but mealtimes happen every day. Many parents here work long hours, so the person at the table with your child most days is often your helper. That was the answer I couldn't find in Macau.