So, lately, okay not lately. Mealtimes at my house have always been a battle. Mainly, my 4 year old. She is the most picky eater EVER! Rebecca won't try anything new and sometimes won't even eat something she has always loved. I don't get it and it is totally getting on my nerves. Sometimes I even ask her what she wants to eat. I usually give her a choice between two things and then sometimes I don't give her a choice at all, she just eats what I made for dinner. Which usually doesn't go over well.
Today, she wanted lunch, she saw some Ritz crackers on the counter and said she wanted some of those for lunch. Okay, so I thought she can have cheese, crackers, pepperoni (that she loved a couple of days ago), and some baby carrots. She only ate the crackers. She was done. I told her if she was not going to eat at lunchtime she can go clean her room instead. She gladly went to her room and picked up a couple of things. However, when I did that, Annie, who was eating okay decided she was done also. Annie did manage to eat all her crackers, cheese, and some pepperoni. Since Annie is only 2 1/2, I put her down for a nap instead.
Rebecca came out of her room and said she was hungry. I told her that her food was still on the table and she could go eat it. Rebecca ate a some cheese and was done. That was her last chance, I was not playing her game anymore. She went back to her room to finish cleaning. I later found her asleep. I have decided that I did not win that round.
About 4pm, Rebecca tells me she is hungry. Okay, I will give them an early dinner and surely, they will eat everything I give them no matter what it is. Since I was not ready to cook dinner for all of us, I gave them some chicken nuggets and mixed veggies. Of course they ate the chicken nuggets. An hour later I am still trying to get them to eat their veggies.
Even when they do eat, it takes them forever. They goof off and talk constantly. I will be sitting their monitoring them too. I don't get why they can't just eat and then go play. Tonight, when Rebecca was eating her dinner she kept talking and goofing even after she was asked to stop. She was nearly done with her plate, but she kept on and on. Then she would look up at me and smile and say she was sorry. Really? She was totally pushing my buttons and she knew it. I was so mad. A 4 year old got me and she is teaching my 2 year old how to do it.
Any suggestions or tricks would gladly be appreciated. I have taken privileges, toys, and other things away and it doesn't work. I am willing to try anything.
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3 comments:
Been in your shoes MANY times!! I take food away! We have a certain amount of time for food, then I put it all away. 5 minutes later when they ask for something to eat, I tell them 'lunch will be at noon' and walk out of the kitchen. If they pitch a fit, they can spend time on their bed.
I feel for you. After 9 years this is what I found works best for me. But you'll have to experiment and find what works for you. 4 year olds are the hardest, although when your 9 year old gives you grief at the table, it's a whole new ball game cause you know they know better!!
Good luck! :0)
I am right there with you. Ella and Hayden definitely give me a run for my money, but I've convinced myself that unless their is a special circumstance, or that I'm being lazy, they have to eat what we're eating for dinner. That never goes over well. I just say, "good luck hangin' in there until breakfast." That's all they're getting. I think it wears on me more than on them. I feel your pain!
Hi Jennifer,
I agree with the other two comments. I like what Powell wrote saying, "good luck hanging in there until breakfast". "Lunch is at noon" is a good one too! Feed the kids at the same time every day, not when they say they are hungry. Show them the clock and explain how the hands go all the way around one time to make an hour. Move the snacks out of sight and don't give in to their whining. Every time you give in is another notch on their belt. Tune out the whining and focus on Rebecca; Annie will follow suit...when she sees Rebecca isn't getting anywhere she will stop on her own.
If they get real bad at the table, take them away from the food and make them wait until the next meal is served. Like Sami said, there is a certain amount of time for food then take it away. They can miss some meals, it won't hurt them. They will definitely know "you" won that round.
Let your "no" mean no and your "yes" mean yes. The girls will respect you for sticking to your word. They will learn their boundaries and stop pushing.
Hang in there. Love your blog!
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