kids that are cvnts about eating...

[lartinos]

Scare out the shit of them with stories and show them an ethiopian, "this was last son/daughter and now they look like this because they didn't eat all their dinner"

 

[youpissmeoff]

a 4 yr old with a sweet tooth should not be able to maker his/her own food...if i let that happen it would be marshmellows and juice every day.
the kid is not a good eater, doesn't recognize his own appeitite and gets to be a pain in the ass when he doesn't eat...my folks made me eat regularly scheduled meals every day and i'm sure i bitched about it...but now 30 yrs later i have good eating habits and i thank my folks for all those boring healthy dinners we had as a fam.
trying to impart this knowledge on the kids mom, cause the way it's been done just isn't working

A four year old is not doing the shopping. Just take marshmellows out of his options for eating.

 

[cindylou]

I am a firm believer that by four years old they should be able to decide if they are going to eat what is served or not and control what goes in their body. My two year old does. I make abby dinner...if she does not want to eat it, I don't even try to make her. I don't make anything else. I also don't buy cookies and stuff for her to beg me for them either. LOL. I do try to make what she likes too. If she is hungry enough, she'll eat it later or not eat it. It's not a big deal.

I'm a pretty strict parent too, but they need to be able to make some basic decisions for themselves.

totally agree with woodyo and headholio

 

[cindylou]

what books have you read bino? I've read them all

 

[musclemom]

My son was an air fern for years. Turning food into a battle ground is a great way to set up an eating disorder. My approach was to find something healthy that was an alternative, and JUST offer that (say, dinner, kid only likes tuna or something, just serve that). Heck, I think my kid ate tuna sandwiches for lunch and dinner for about six months. You let them turn you into a short order cook and you're headed into trouble. Eventually they get tired of not having the same thing as the grownups if they can't have a lot of variety. The trick is to not get into a fight over it.

Also keep trying to get them to taste new foods. Make it the one forkful rule, you don't have to love it or even eat a full portion, but taste one forkful.

And honestly, most children under the age of 6 only need about a tablespoon or so for year of age per meal, seriously. As long as they drink milk and take a multivitamin they grow up just fine. Despite everything a "new" parent may fear, no child ever starved itself to death, they only make you think they will. When you cater to them it only gets worse, seriously.

 

[youpissmeoff]

I am a firm believer that by four years old they should be able to decide if they are going to eat what is served or not and control what goes in their body. My two year old does. I make abby dinner...if she does not want to eat it, I don't even try to make her. I don't make anything else. I also don't buy cookies and stuff for her to beg me for them either. LOL. I do try to make what she likes too. If she is hungry enough, she'll eat it later or not eat it. It's not a big deal.

I'm a pretty strict parent too, but they need to be able to make some basic decisions for themselves.

totally agree with woodyo and headholio

WTF - you are totally rewriting my advice. Are we no longer a couple?

 

[cindylou]

WTF - you are totally rewriting my advice. Are we no longer a couple?

LOL hahaha I'm sorry. Of course we are a couple. I can't let a two year old make her own food, and can't imagine letting a four year old near a stove but I agree with your advice too and MM's. Food shouldn't be a battle. Kids are human beings that should be able to have control over their own bodies for gods sake. No psychologically healthy kid will starve themselves if they don't feel like they need to have control over something. That's how you end up with a 13 year old vegetarian or a tween with an eating disorder. lol I'm not a slave either. Eat what I make or don't eat.

 

[youpissmeoff]

LOL hahaha I'm sorry. Of course we are a couple. I can't let a two year old make her own food, and can't imagine letting a four year old near a stove but I agree with your advice too and MM's. Food shouldn't be a battle. Kids are human beings that should be able to have control over their own bodies for gods sake. No psychologically healthy kid will starve themselves if they don't feel like they need to have control over something. That's how you end up with a 13 year old vegetarian or a tween with an eating disorder. lol I'm not a slave either. Eat what I make or don't eat.

Perfect - send me pics of you in just an apron!!

 

[smurf2]

I have never been one to force my kid to eat something that I know he doesnt like. But, he's an only child so I have the luxury of making what he likes, as opposed to parents of numerous kids who cant please everyone all the time. I wouldnt stress too much about it though. The thing I struggle with is a kid who doesnt want to wait until dinner is offered, wants to snack and then "i'm not hungry" when dinner is served. Annoying.

 

[nangiggles]

Scare the shit of them with stories and show them an ethiopian, "this was last son/daughter and now they look like this because they didn't eat all their dinner"

Mom used to guilt us with the poor children in Ethiopia with nothing to eat stories, when that didnt work she'd whip out the violin and say her and dad worked so hard and tried their best to please us and give us good food and we just dont appreciate their efforts, made me feel like shit and I'd end up eating