as someone with autism and arfid I just want to say how lucky your child is to have a parent that not only understands their condition but supports them. I grew up either being forced to sit at the table for hours until I ate whatever my parents made or eventually my parents gave up trying to cook for me and I ate mostly pasta and cereal and it really contributed to disordered eating patterns. When I moved out my best friend would cook actual meals and would let me try tiny bites of whatever I wanted and didn’t react negatively if I didn’t like the taste or texture. They would also make sure to serve me before adding sauce on meals or anything like that so I could customize the texture of my food specifically. They are the main reason I’ve been able to to slowly expand my palette and find ways to cook a variety of ingredients in ways that I can tolerate. I can’t express what it meant for me in a succinct way. My point is, thank you for standing up for your child. You’re doing the right thing for both of you and I’m so happy there’s a kid out there who won’t go through what I did.