Comments on: Classic parenting dilemma, now with fewer curse words

By: One way to get your toddler to eat breakfast | Playgroups are No Place For Children

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:01:15 +0000

[...] you all so much for all the truly useful advice you all offered me a few weeks ago concerning Carson’s dismal eating habits. I’ve definitely cut down on milk and [...]

By: Sarcastic Mom

Sarcastic Mom — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:25:44 +0000

Cutting down on milk helped us some time ago – if Braden doesn’t eat his food, we save it and he eats it later. I don’t hold it over his head though, it’s just the next snack or meal – I don’t think he even realizes it. That way he’s not “profiting” from refusing to eat, but it’s not a power struggle either.
I’m not excessive with it, though – if he doesn’t eat the green beans 3 times in a row (or whatever) I don’t worry about it – maybe he just doesn’t want to eat the frackin’ things. My parents made us eat everything, and it is STILL something I resent them for. I don’t eat things I think are gross, so I don’t make Braden do that either. (clearly you’re not doing that if you’re giving him choices, just sayin!)

I DO give him a kid’s multi-vitamin every day and THAT makes me feel less stressed out about whether he’s eating the right amount of good stuff every day. (They are little gummy vitamins, and he loves them.)

By: Colleen - Mommy Always Wins

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:05:32 +0000

Oy vey...I'm right there with ya with both my kids right now. Its enough to make me want to pull my freakin' hair out! Just reading through some of your comments to see if there's anything I haven't tried yet...nope. Darn. I figure its a stage we'll get through like anything else, only its made worse by the fact that the little one does everything the big one does. Grrr.... Colleen - Mommy Always Wins´s lastest post..I can't believe I'm sharing this...

By: jess

jess — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:55:23 +0000

he's only three. why don't you make eating fun? instead of cutting up his waffle into pieces, cut it into sticks and let him dunk the pieces. what about letting him eat with a toothpick? (carefully supervised of course...) i NEVER made a big deal out of eating and my kids haven't really been problem eaters. they eat beets, asparagus, and pork. pretend like you don't care. and - no snacks. you have got to stick to your guns on that. if he wants waffles, he can eat waffles. but no fruit snacks or anything else. he has to stick to his choices. but he's a little guy with a little stomach. my kids learned VERY quickly that if they ate their regular meals, they could almost whatever they wanted for snacks, because i worried less about their nutrition. they KNOW if they don't eat dinner, there will be no chips/popcorn/apples later. NONE. they can eat cold or reheated dinner. it'll go away. pretend it's not happening?? jess´s lastest post..Just naBLOpomo me…

By: mojavi at simple things

mojavi at simple things — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:08:53 +0000

lol KYa does the exact same thing... I think it is good to just ignore the behavior. I give her a healthy snack and just ignore it. As long as she sits down to eat I let her get up when she says she is "DONE" or "FULL" which she will say even after she hasn't eaten a bite. LIke all other stages this too shall pass.. at least I hope LOL!! mojavi at simple things´s lastest post..because...

By: Sundy Linky Love: The Halloween Edition

Sundy Linky Love: The Halloween Edition — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:24:55 +0000

[...] Jennifer needs your best assvice on her little guy’s mealtime routine. [...]

By: Stacy (mama-om)

Stacy (mama-om) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:33:18 +0000

Just moochin' off the assvice, too. My kids seem to barely eat and I know it's really hard for me not to take it personally (I'm doing all this work to cook and keep you healthy!)... I have sensible friends who always point out that my two boys are obviously growing, and my doctor says to look ove the course of a week not a day to assess their nutrient intake... but none of that seems to help me feel less vexed/anxious. I hope you and Carson come up with something that works for you! Stacy (mama-om)´s lastest post..Two Years

By: Texan Mama

Texan Mama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:52:11 +0000

Oh, one more thing - at dinner/lunch, if the kids get full before the end of dinner, I tell them they can be done if they eat the veggie and protein but they may always skip the starch and I will not save it. But they have to try the starch. If they do all that, I will still give dessert. That way, they are understanding what the healthy part of the meal is. Do you think it would help if your son felt in control of his meal time? Like if you just said something different, like (I dunno, but...) "Carson, I have waffles or cheerios. What do you want to fix for yourself today?" and if he says no, say "What are you doing to do later when you're hungry? What will you eat?" Maybe that will make him feel more in control, like he's deciding what to eat and whether or not he eats. It's just a suggestion. Texan Mama´s lastest post..A Fellow Texan Weighs In

By: Texan Mama

Texan Mama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:47:10 +0000

Oh, you are brave asking for advice.

First off, you are doing things right. Keep it up. Consistency is key.

Next, I would do the same thing – give him a choice – then if he does not eat what he has chosen, keep it for a snack.

Okay, now, here’s the kicker. When he whines for a snack, tell him that he may not whine (that’s the warning) and then you figure out a punishment for if he whines again. Tell him the punishment for whining. If he whines you will HAVE to follow through, but I would suggest something immediate, like time out for 5 minutes, or throw away the snack altogether, etc.

However, if you’re blessed with an especially stubborn child (like me) you may have to do what you swore you’d never do and actually REWARD him for something he’s supposed to do anyway. Like, if he eats his breakfast he gets 3 m&m’s. Or he gets 15 extra minutes of TV. or whatever.

Kids are unique – find what motivates them (fear of punishment vs. joy of reward) and use that for motivation.

PS every time I post a comment here, the comment luv is from a previous post on my blog, not the current one. I am registered with comment luv and everything!

Texan Mama´s lastest post..A Fellow Texan Weighs In

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:55:42 +0000

@Lynn Does he ever eat it when you give it as a snack/meal later?