If you dont eat your dinner!!!!!!

[binny]

What is this threat followed by in your house?

I know not everyone has this problem but what do you do when your kids wont eat what youve given them?

Its usually on Kate who doesnt eat her dinner ( going on 3 nights now ) She is fine, she eats during the day, she is just asserting her independence.


So what do you threaten yuour kids with?

 

[Steve H.]

...you can't have any pudding!! And how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!?

Whoa -- sorry, Pink Floyd flashback!!

 

[Kissimmee JP]

6 y.o. always eats. 4 y.o. eats about 1/2 the time. 4 y.o. gets threatened w/no dessert. 4 y.o. always wants dessert when 6 y.o. is partaking.

 

[CEDmom]

I try not to make a big deal about not eating since I think that's why so many adults have food issues. DD eats a very good diet (much better than mine) so if she's not hungry at a specific meal time she justs sits with us while we eat. If she's hungry later she's offered a healthy snack.

 

[jfulcer]

We don't force DD to eat. If she says she's full and has eaten a little, we'll just tell her she won't get a nice snack later on that night. Normally she'll eat a little more, but for the most part we realized a long time ago that pushing her to eat only earns us complaints about tummy aches the rest of the night.

She'll eat when she gets hungry for the next meal...

 

[TEENEE]

At our house the rule is no dinner, no snack. If my kids don't eat dinner all they can have the rest of the night is water. My kids are good eaters so this is rarely a problem.

 

[4greatboys]

First of all my 2 oldest are teenage boys....I dont have to threaten them to eat--I have to threaten them to stop!! lol
My 3 yr old is not a good eater though so for him if he doesnt want to eat something good for him then he cant have chips for a snack.
Baby eats very good--even if he has eaten he will climb all over you for your food, lol.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Steve H.
...you can't have any pudding!! And how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!?

Whoa -- sorry, Pink Floyd flashback!!

Dang it Steve, I was just about to post this!!!

 

[Serena]

If she's not hungry, she's not hungry. A snack later would be fine too, as long as it's small and something healthy. A piece of fruit, veggie, a glass of juice.

no threats.

 

[Talking Hands]

I don't make food an issue. I just make sure there are healthy snacks available. If we are not hungry we don't eat. Forcing people to eat when they don't want frequently makes for eating problems later in life.

 

[newmousecateer]

I don't have little ones any more, but when DS was little, I never made eating or not eating an issue. I don't eat when I'm not hungry, so I don't believe we make a child eat when they are not hungry. And I also agree with having healthy snacks for when they do feel hungry after dinner.

 

[bananiem]

the rules in our house:
You have to try a taste of everything. "Even if you've had it before you may like it this time." To which ds will say "I still don't like it."
We give small portions to begin with and they can always have 2nds, or 3rds!
BUT- to get a treat you have to eat everything on your plate. Treats are usually a couple of cookies, a dish of ice cream, or a couple pieces of candy out of their "stash" from parades, mayday baskets, halloween, etc. They know that they don't have to clean their plate, but if they're too full to finish, they're too full for treat. They're 7 & 9 and I'd say they get treat 9 out of 10 nights.

I think it's normal for her to be exerting her independence, like you said. As long as she's eating during the day I'd play it cool. If it's not a game to her (nobody's playing along) she'll get over it and find some other way to show her independent streak!!

 

[browneyes]

I'm a picky eater, so I try to fix something that everyone will eat. I usually cook 3 meals for each meal I cook.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I never made eating an issue. If the kids didn't eat dinner, I would save it in the refrigerator and warm it in the microwave later if they got hungry. I guess I wouldn't offer dessert if they didn't eat at least part of their dinner.

Mine are teens now and eating is never a problem. And leftovers . . . ? What are they? My son polishes every dish, every night.

 

[Slainte]

My son is a very healthy eater, but also a very light eater. He knows that if he doesn't eat all (or most) of his dinner, he won't get snacks later on. Other than that, I try not to make an issue out of it.

 

[Pete's Mom]

Please remember too that kids go through spurts like this. I used to worry about Pete because he would sometimes eat barely enough to stay alive and then 2 weeks later he is gobbling everything is sight. They will eat when they are hungry.

You must remember too that their little stomachs don't hold as much as ours so they might be getting plenty of food or even too much if you force them to "finish it all". Look at the portions you feed them and picture that filling their stomach. It is a lot more than you think.

One thing my doctor told me is that since a lot of restaurants can't lower their prices so they give you more food instead to entice you to buy. Free apple pie if you supersize, go large for .29 more cents, etc. I used to fall for this and then feel like I had to eat everything or it would be a waste. Now, sometimes I just eat a kids portion and it has paid off. I was a size 12 last year, now a size 6 and I feel much healthier.

Never ever make a child finish everything in order to get dessert. My doctor says that this leads to over eating. Feed them in proportion.

Just some thoughts!

 

[bananiem]

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask a child to eat what's on their plate to get a treat. But I think you have to know what a child sized portion is. When I worked in child care the state said a tablespoon for each year of age. So for a 4 year old it was 4 tablespoons of applesauce or whatever. (And use a measuring spoon not a serving type tablespoon.) That's not very much. But my kids know that treat will still be there for the next meal. They've grown up knowing that nobody's going to eat their candy or cookies. IF it's the last of the ice cream they know I'll buy more. It's worked well and both kids are good about saying either that they are full or don't want 2nds.
If they get a treat no matter how much they eat when do they learn to eat the healthy stuff?
I think you have to be realistic about what their tummies will hold and give them small servings before expecting them to clean their plate.
JMO!!

 

[Cinders]

Just dont threaten them with "If you dont eat I'll take you to the Dr. to see whats wrong" My step MIL did this with her daughter and the Dr checked her out asked what the problem was. Step MIL said she wont eat and when she rarely does its not very much at all. Dr said BRB. He came back in the room with a Chips Ahoy cookie and asked the daughter if she wanted it. She said sure. Dr gave it to her told the mom "call me when she refuses to eat cookies or whatever her favorite treat is" Kids just go through stages and as long as they dont dehydrate you shouldnt threaten them when it comes to food.

 

[believe]

My girls have to sit at the table, whether they want to eat or not. I usually find that they end up eating. If they won't eat their dinner then they are not allowed to have 'junk' later. DD#2 is fighting me on this now. If she doesn't eat I put her food in the fridge and when she tells me she is hungry I will warm it up. I don't force them to eat, but I won't give the 'junk' in place of their dinner. They usually don't want the dinner because they want to eat more 'junk'.

 

[disykat]

I put it in the fridge and they can have it later - no big deal.

If we are having dessert they have to have made a good effort on their dinner to have it. I give very small portions to start so overeating is not an issue.