Picture the scene.

Alexis is getting hungry but she’s too occupied in what she’s doing to say so. She carries on playing, getting more and more hungry. Something doesn’t go her way with what she’s working on and she lashes out, screams and shouts. Hanger has set in. She needs food and she needs it now.

I offer a snack and then think it’s probably about time I prepare dinner. Dinner is ready an hour later – it would have been 30 minutes but I had to help Harvey with his school project and a neighbour knocked at the door.

I ask them both to come to the table for dinner but Alexis kicks up a fuss and doesn’t want to sit down. She eventually joins us at the table and just picks at the food. I clear away and no sooner have we started getting ready for bed, Alexis asks for a snack.

Sound familiar?

This isn’t a one off, this is a daily occurrence. You’re stressed to the max, you dread meal times and the constant battles over food are taking their toll.

I’ve put together five top tips for creating healthier, happier, stress-free family mealtimes which will have positive results in a matter of days.