Dinner Table Drama: Supporting Your Picky Eater
Show notes
Season 2 Episode 10
Why does something as basic as feeding your kid feel like such a battle?
The untouched plate, the “I don’t like it!” before the first bite, and the daily negotiation over three more peas. If mealtimes often feel like a battle, you're not alone, and you're not doing it wrong.
In this episode ofYou're Doing It Right, clinical psychologists Dr. Leslie Roos and Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen are joined by Dr. Kylee Clayton, a clinical psychologist who works with children and families navigating picky eating and brings her own experiences with mealtime chaos to the conversation. Together, they unpack what's really going on at the dinner table, why pressure tends to backfire, and practical ways to support your picky eater while bringing a little more calm and connection back to family meals.
About the Podcast
Parenting is one of life's greatest joys, and one of the greatest challenges. Every day brings new questions, and every family is different.
You’re Doing It Right is a parenting podcast hosted by acclaimed clinical psychologists Dr. Leslie Roos and Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen, it’s where science meets real life. Leslie and Lianne are researchers, clinicians, and parents themselves, bringing honest, evidence-informed conversations to the everyday questions families face - no judgment, no single "right" way, just practical support for real life.
Each episode combines the latest research, expert guests, and practical strategies to help parents navigate everyday challenges with greater confidence and less stress.
At the heart of the podcast is a simple belief: parenting was never meant to be done alone. The goal is to provide trusted information, compassionate support, and practical tools that help families thrive.
Because parenting isn't about perfection - it's about showing up, learning as you go, and remembering that you're doing better than you think.
Subscribe and join us each week for conversations that remind parents, in more ways than they realize, they're doing it right.
About the Hosts
Dr. Leslie Roos
Dr. Leslie Roos is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of children, youth, and families.
As a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Chair in Implementation Science and co-lead of the PRIME Initiative (Partnering for Research Innovation in Mental Health through eHealth Excellence), she leads innovative research that expands access to evidence-based mental health care for families.
Dr. Roos is also the co-developer of the BEAM program, an accessible digital mental health program designed to support both parents and children through peer connection, coaching, and evidence-based resources.
Her research focuses on family mental health, early childhood development, mental health equity, and community-based approaches that translate scientific evidence into practical strategies parents can use every day.
Through her research, clinical work, and commitment to knowledge sharing, Dr. Roos helps families navigate parenting with confidence, compassion, and evidence-based support.
Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen
Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen is a psychologist, researcher, and professor whose work focuses on supporting the mental health and well-being of parents, children, and families.
She is the Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Equity at the University of British Columbia and co-leads several nationally recognized research initiatives, including the Pregnancy During the Pandemic study and the BEAM (Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health) program.
Her research explores how family relationships, sleep, and mental health shape child development, with a focus on creating practical, evidence-based solutions that improve outcomes for families.
Drawing on extensive clinical experience in mindfulness, self-compassion, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and emotionally focused interventions, Dr. Tomfohr-Madsen brings a compassionate, research-informed perspective to the realities of parenting.
She is passionate about translating leading-edge research into practical tools that help families build resilience, connection, and well-being.
Guest Expert
Dr. Kylee Clayton
Dr. Kylee Clayton is a child psychologist, researcher, and assistant professor of clinical health psychology at the Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. She treats children with feeding disorders. These are serious conditions that go well beyond picky eating, driven by anxiety or fear around food, sensory processing differences, or a lack of appetite, rather than concerns about weight or appearance.
Most treatment research in the field comes out of the United States, so Dr. Clayton studies feeding disorders in a Canadian context. Her recent research, drawing on eight years of data from Shared Health’s Clinical Health Psychology Child and Adolescent Consultation Service, found that these challenges rarely have a single cause and often overlap with medical, anxiety, or neurodevelopmental diagnoses.
She presented the work at the International Conference on Eating Disorders. Her next focus is improving care for families and understanding why feeding difficulties can feel so stressful for parents.
Resources & Links
Social Media Clips
Why Some Kids Are Picky Eaters
Next Episode
Next time we dive into Finding Support: Resources for Newcomer Families with Dr. Tasmia Hai, a school and clinical psychologist with a background in child and adolescent psychology. Until then, this is You’re Doing It Right .
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