Change is part of life — it’s something we all have to learn to handle. But the huge shifts that have taken place in children’s worlds due to the COVID-19 pandemic are off the charts.

If you clicked on the title to read this article, you are probably feeling frustrated. Tired. Defeated. Parenting can be tough, especially after this year of parenting in a pandemic. You’ve probably already read a lot of parenting and child development articles, blogs, and books. But even with all the expert recommendations, you still feel like you’re struggling with your child’s behavior. What now?

Dinner time. New veggie. Here we go! I placed a piece of sautéed bok choy on my 4-year-old son’s plate and said, “Hmm. This is a new veggie called bok choy. I wonder what you’ll think about it.” He closely examined this suspicious veggie while sampling some more well-known items on his plate. He circled back after a few minutes and willingly tried it. On his own time. At his own pace. At his own will. After his brave bite, I followed up, “Was it crunchy? Soft?” to which he replied, “Soft. I like it.”