Parents, Stop Giving In To 'Picky Eaters'!

[LuvCuteBoys]

This struck me as very ironic.... "Parents stop giving into picky eaters!" but you can't even stop your DH from giving into your cats????

 

[lizandjason]

OP says "WE can't figure out how to stop him from whining and scratching at the door".... But OP wants to tell parents how to raise their children.... and that's not ironic

Last time I checked, cats can't be taught much. Unlike kids. But thanks for playing.

 

[lizandjason]

Maybe a bit of clarification will help everyone...

Remember Augustus Gloop from 'Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?', the fat little kid in 'A League of Their Own' or Harry Potter's cousin Dudley? Their parents spoiled them rotten and fed them CRAP. And the kids were brats.

These are the types of parents I was referring to in my first post...parents who let their kids have ANYTHING they want, including junk food, despite what it does to their health.

If you are a parent who actually TRIES, despite what your child does, says, throws up or otherwise, I was NOT referring to you in my first post! Thank you!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I haven't read through the whole thread, but I see it both ways. On one hand, if you have a kid that is picky, you do want them to eat. And to me if they are picky in a way that still gives them a good array of nutrition, well, there are worse things. My daughter for example won't eat potatoes unless they are french fries and also won't eat any vegetables that are cooked. She eats salads and raw veggies, but don't try steaming this kid carrots because she won't eat them. She eats all fruits. I have learned what she likes and if we go to someone's house she eats what they serve even if its a plate of cooked veggies! But at home, I just give her the raw version of veggies that I cook for us. Oh yeah, she won't eat anything she thinks is spicy. Even Taco Bell tacos are too spicy. So on Taco Bell night, she eats a pb&j. Saves me some money at Taco Bell.

So yeah, I get the picky thing and how in spite of my "I'll never cater to a kid's picky whims" can go right out the window.

On the other hand, I had this obnoxious stepbrother who had these two very obnoxious kids. I saw their mom during a few holiday dinners get up from her dinner to make them something special like Ramen noodles while the rest of us waited on her to satisfy her kids before we would eat (which was my dumb stepdad's rule that we had to wait for his dil to make the kids their special order meal). Then the kids would proclaim it tasted funny and not eat that. So mom would go back out to the kitchen to attempt to make them something else. Usually the kids ate nothing during holiday meals once mom ran out of options. The son only ate chicken tenders from Burger King. That was it for protein for him. Thanksgiving dinner was held up more than once while both kids whined they didn't like anything on the table that my mom had made and while the parents whined that Burger King wasn't open.

To me it was a total power play. No idea what became of them since once my mom died I no longer saw them thank God but my stepdad did mention that the boy (who is a senior in high school) still has his dad getting him his beloved chicken tenders and brining them to whatever restaurant they dine at. Can't wait until this kid goes to college. I hope they have a Burger King on campus.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Last time I checked, cats can't be taught much. Unlike kids. But thanks for playing.

"The vast majority of cats can be trained out of troublesome behavior."
Taken from: http://interpret.co.za/art/Pets/Cats/can_cats_be_trained_.php

There are a lot of links on how to train cats. So technically your cat could be trained.

 

[Minnie]

Last time I checked, cats can't be taught much. Unlike kids. But thanks for playing.

Now this did give me a chuckle.... I can just see this.... "Jinxy cat, jinxy cat where are you, I...love...you!" from Meet the Parents

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I've only read some of the responses but, here's my 2 cents. My DD12 eats almost everything. DS9 only has a limited repetoire. Both raised the same. I don't want him to end up with an eating disorder. I just try to keep the junk to a minimum. I do say he has to try new things once in a while but he literally gags and sometimes throws up. There are somethings I just don't like and wouldn't want to be forced to eat, so, why should I force him? All I ask is that he tries again once in while in case his tastes have changed. I always ate just about everything, but there were several things that I just couldn't eat and still don't like much today. I could not stand the texture of strawberries until I was in my 20's, and could not eat a raw tomatoe until I was at least 25. Only now (40, gasp!) can I eat things like raw peppers. I have been able to eat cooked peppers for a while now. I think it is very true that taste buds fade as you get older. Foods taste and feel REALLY intense to kids. Just because they don't like something now, doesn't mean they won't like it later. It's most important to keep an open mind. Sometimes I say if DS tastes something I will make him another meal (cereal, nothing complicated). He often will say he likes it but doesn't feel like eating it. Eventually he'll feel like eating it! My DH says once he hits puberty he will eat the furniture, lol, so I have faith that he will not be sentenced to a lifetime of chicken nuggets and fries. We also discuss how/why it's best to eat a wide variety of foods because it's healthy and I say I eat things I don't like so much because they are good for me. I don't force myself to eat things I really hate though.

 

[pyrxtc]

You must not have children...LOL I said the same thing before my son was born, and guess what......he ate great until he turned about 4! Would eat ANYTHING I gave him, then one day...nothing. I hate it when people assume things.

Why assume she doesn't have children. If it were bugging me, then I could say the same thing as the OP and I have 4 kids. I NEVER cater to any of them for food. I don't cater to their friends either. I grew up as you ate what was in front of you. Went to friends houses and tried lots of strange things I'd never had before cuz "you ate what was in front of you" and I LOVED most of them.

 

[robinb]

I grew up as you ate what was in front of you. Went to friends houses and tried lots of strange things I'd never had before cuz "you ate what was in front of you" and I LOVED most of them.

Obviously you were not a picky eater, then. I think it's hard for people who were not picky themselves or don't have a picky child to understand that it really isn't as easy as telling kids to eat what's in front of them. I would say that all of us with picky eaters ask our kids to try foods and the problem is that they do not love them. For my DD it's even harder as she does not eat meat. If meatloaf was on the menu tonight at your house, would you make her eat it? I always warn folks when she goes over to their homes that she's a vegetarian ... but I always tell them a PB&J is just fine if they have other plans.

 

[PaulaSue]

I have been so trying to do this OP. I have been trying to make changes slowly (last few years, I lost a bunch of weight 3 years ago) and today my oldest started crying because I said once my surgery happens in a few days no junk but for Ashleys b-day weekend a week after. (My goal is to limit junk but for parties for me and them). OMG the drama from an 11 year old. HELP!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Last time I checked, cats can't be taught much. Unlike kids. But thanks for playing.

We had one cat that knew right from wrong.

IF he got in trouble for something and didn't do it, he would scowl a certain way. If he was the guilty party--he'd have the look of shame.

And he had this insane ability to inform us when another cat was up to no good and would tattle on them.

He died last year--so we no longer have him around to keep order and the cats just run the show.

 

[MichelleVW]

Last time I checked, cats can't be taught much. Unlike kids. But thanks for playing.

You must have some less than intelligent cats then because I've got 4 and they can be taught things!

 

[Scurvy]

You must have some less than intelligent cats then because I've got 4 and they can be taught things!

I was thinking the same thing!
I admit I haven't had much luck teaching my cats to do things, but I've been able to teach them not to do the things I don't want them doing. In fact I've never had a cat who I couldn't train enough to eliminate undesirable behavior.

Maybe the OP just has particularly stubborn or difficult cats. . . just like some people have particularly stubborn or difficult kids!

Or maybe the OP's husband is just picking his battles when it comes to his cats, sort of like some people do with their kids. If some random internet person who doesn't have cats, isn't a vet and hasn't consulted a vet lectured him about it, I wonder if that would help?

 

[lizandjason]

I was thinking the same thing!
I admit I haven't had much luck teaching my cats to do things, but I've been able to teach them not to do the things I don't want them doing. In fact I've never had a cat who I couldn't train enough to eliminate undesirable behavior.

Maybe the OP just has particularly stubborn or difficult cats. . . just like some people have particularly stubborn or difficult kids!

Or maybe the OP's husband is just picking his battles when it comes to his cats, sort of like some people do with their kids. If some random internet person who doesn't have cats, isn't a vet and hasn't consulted a vet lectured him about it, I wonder if that would help?

Wow, do I really deserve all of this?! And the worst part is, I'm taking it personally, which is completely stupid. I don't know why I keep coming back to it. I must subconciously enjoy the torture.

 

[MushyMushy]

I was thinking the same thing!
I admit I haven't had much luck teaching my cats to do things, but I've been able to teach them not to do the things I don't want them doing. In fact I've never had a cat who I couldn't train enough to eliminate undesirable behavior.

Maybe the OP just has particularly stubborn or difficult cats. . . just like some people have particularly stubborn or difficult kids!

Or maybe the OP's husband is just picking his battles when it comes to his cats, sort of like some people do with their kids. If some random internet person who doesn't have cats, isn't a vet and hasn't consulted a vet lectured him about it, I wonder if that would help?

Ya gotta love it when someone injects a little comedic irony in a thread!

 

[Scurvy]

Wow, do I really deserve all of this?! And the worst part is, I'm taking it personally, which is completely stupid. I don't know why I keep coming back to it. I must subconciously enjoy the torture.

Sorry, OP, I really didn't mean to offend you. I was mostly joking. But you know, it's possible that the parents you were lecturing took it personally also. Maybe we shouldn't lecture each other without knowing all the facts of the situation.

 

[ZeitgeistDuck]

Wow, do I really deserve all of this?! And the worst part is, I'm taking it personally, which is completely stupid. I don't know why I keep coming back to it. I must subconciously enjoy the torture.

Yes, yes you do. Here's a lesson learned for you: don't speak of what you don't know. I won't tell you how to raise your cats (I don't have cats) and you reserve your judgements about how parents deal with thier children until you've BTDT. Until you've lived it and conquored it, its all just theory and rhetoric.

 

[lizandjason]

Yes, yes you do. Here's a lesson learned for you: don't speak of what you don't know. I won't tell you how to raise your cats (I don't have cats) and you reserve your judgements about how parents deal with thier children until you've BTDT. Until you've lived it and conquored it, its all just theory and rhetoric.

You're not more knowledgable than me because you have kids. If you are one of the people I was referring to in my first post, and you're not trying to promote good eating habits in your kids, I know for a fact you're doing it wrong. And I will stand by that.

I'm sorry that you and others feel it's okay to treat me poorly because you don't agree with my opinion.

 

[lizandjason]

Sorry, OP, I really didn't mean to offend you. I was mostly joking. But you know, it's possible that the parents you were lecturing took it personally also. Maybe we shouldn't lecture each other without knowing all the facts of the situation.

No problem. I get what you're saying. My intentions were good, I swear!

 

[lizandjason]

We had one cat that knew right from wrong.

IF he got in trouble for something and didn't do it, he would scowl a certain way. If he was the guilty party--he'd have the look of shame.

And he had this insane ability to inform us when another cat was up to no good and would tattle on them.

He died last year--so we no longer have him around to keep order and the cats just run the show.

Sorry you lost him. Cats are amazing creatures, aren't they?