Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility (sDOR) is the backbone of calm, effective feeding.
Your job (the caregiver)
- What food is offered
- When meals and snacks happen
- Where eating takes place
Your child's job
- Whether they eat
- How much they eat
Why it works
When you reliably provide structure and let your child own the "whether/how much," you remove the power struggle. Children eat best when they trust that food will come again at a predictable time and that no one will force them.
Putting it into practice
- Offer meals and snacks at roughly consistent times.
- Serve at least one food you know your child accepts alongside new or harder foods.
- Do not pressure, bribe, or praise eating. Stay neutral.
- End the meal calmly, even if little was eaten.
This is a shift that takes practice. Small, consistent steps build trust over weeks, not days.
The Division of Responsibility in Feeding (sDOR) was developed by Ellyn Satter. "Division of Responsibility in Feeding," "sDOR," and "Ellyn Satter" are trademarks of the Ellyn Satter Institute. This summary is our own and is not endorsed by the Institute. To read Satter's own account of the framework, visit ellynsatterinstitute.org.
Related resources
- Building a Positive Mealtime Environment
Practical ways to make the table feel safe, predictable, and low-pressure.
- What a Healthy Plate Looks Like for Kids
A printable healthy plate guide for children: the food groups, how much of each, and realistic portion sizes for toddlers and older kids.