Um no. You eat dinner. Period.
So last night Chris and I made a stand. I made meatloaf, broccolli, and cresent rolls. I know she will eat brocolli and rolls and if I could get a few bites of meatloaf in, bonus. She ate 2 bites of roll and was all done.
Ok, fine.
So I told her she could be done but under no uncertain terms was she to ask for a snack. I gave her a choice. Eat your dinner and have a snack later, or not eat your dinner and no snack.
She opted not to eat.
Again, ok, fine. Off she went to play. And Chris and I enjoyed a nice (somewhat) quiet dinner.
10 minutes later: "Mom? Can I have some m&m's?" Hell no. She whined a little and continued to play.
20 minutes later: "Mom? I want some ice cream"
"That's nice honey, but no dinner, no snack, remember?"
Then she got crafty.
"Mom? Can I have a banana? A banana is a nice healthy snack that will help me stay healthy!"
"Stay strong," I told myself. "No honey, you can't. We made a deal. No dinner, no snack."
"But I'm hungry mommy!"
Too damn bad!
"I am sure you are, but you should have eaten your dinner. Then you could have had m&m's and banana. You can have breakfast in the morning."
"That's just not fair!!"
Really? Already with the not fair? She's three!
She did have a little water before bed. Drinks don't count, right?
Fast forward to this morning. She gobbled down her turkey sausage, waffle, and strawberries. She came over sheepishly with her empty plate and goes:
"Mommy? Can I have more of all of it? I am sooo hungry!"
"Sure you can honey, but maybe tonight you will eat your dinner so you won't be so hungry in the morning."
"I will Mommy. I will!"
So we are currently having second breakfast, hobbit style.
Lesson learned? We shall see.
5 comments:
That very scene could play out in my kitchen any given night. Riley is famous for wanting a banana on nights he doesn't eat dinner. I play hard ball, too, now. No dinner = NO snack! Even the healthy kind. Good for you for sticking to your guns! It is hard sometimes, though. Especially when they look so pitiful. =(
~Keri
Very Interesting..let me know if it works. We are going through the same thing!
:)Sara
Oh my gosh....this is EXACTLY what we do (and what my mom tells me she had to do to me as well)...only when they ask for a snack, I give them their dinner back.
I think it is a common power struggle!!!!
We are dealing with similar issues right now too! Sounds like it's pretty universal. :) Good for you for staying strong!
I saw a child pychologist on tv and he said, you wrap up the meal they don't want and next time they ask for food you bring it back out and give it to them. And you keep giving it to them everytime they ask for snacks until they finally eat it.
Good luck, she'll get it soon enough. Her cognitive ability is developed enough for her to get it.
Being a parent is tough sometimes.
Post a Comment