My 5 year old just doesn't eat at regular mealtimes. She nibbles, complains, feigns tummyaches, promises to eat it later, etc. She complains if food is too hot, or too spicy, she hates sauces of all kinds - so I always make a special portion of dinner for her that meets her requirements. She manages to find something she doesn't like about each meal and is soon trying to scoot away from the table.
When I was a kid, my parents made me sit at the table until I ate all my food. I don't want to do that to her for a number of reasons. First, it takes too long. I don't know where my parents found the time to sit and wait but I have too much stuff to do each night to fight that battle. Second, I feel that such activity might lead to eating disorders later.
She snacks constantly. We try to curb it but she sneaks crackers, cookies, fruit rollups, candy from our cupboards. She plays both of us. Asking me for a cookie, then asking mom a few minutes later = 2 cookies. I supposed I could simply eliminate all snacks from the home but then everyone else is being punished instead. I've been denying her snacks when she doesn't eat a meal, offering her plate reheated when she says she's hungry. She won't touch it and I can tell she's really hungry. I start to feel guilty and let her have cereal or something partly because I want her to eat SOMETHING and also because I don't want to fight all night over a piece of chicken and some carrots. She does the same thing over McDonalds, surprisingly.
Any advice?
When I was a kid, my parents made me sit at the table until I ate all my food. I don't want to do that to her for a number of reasons. First, it takes too long. I don't know where my parents found the time to sit and wait but I have too much stuff to do each night to fight that battle. Second, I feel that such activity might lead to eating disorders later.
She snacks constantly. We try to curb it but she sneaks crackers, cookies, fruit rollups, candy from our cupboards. She plays both of us. Asking me for a cookie, then asking mom a few minutes later = 2 cookies. I supposed I could simply eliminate all snacks from the home but then everyone else is being punished instead. I've been denying her snacks when she doesn't eat a meal, offering her plate reheated when she says she's hungry. She won't touch it and I can tell she's really hungry. I start to feel guilty and let her have cereal or something partly because I want her to eat SOMETHING and also because I don't want to fight all night over a piece of chicken and some carrots. She does the same thing over McDonalds, surprisingly.
Any advice?
