DINNER TIME
Research has shown without a doubt that families who eat together at least one meal per day reap many positive benefits. We always had pleasant mealtimes at our house. The primary reason is that we realized that we had never heard of a child starving themselves to death…. so we decided that nobody had to eat if they didn’t want to. Of course, when the meal was over there was nothing else until the next meal.
Our kids knew this because that’s the way it had always been. There was never any arguing or nagging. We never heard “Yuk! I don’t like this,” because they knew that our pleasant response would be, “That’s fine, honey, you don’t have to eat it.” And, if they couldn’t find something they liked we would say. “I’m sorry, maybe you’ll like the next meal better.” It didn’t take long before our children ate and enjoyed pretty much everything we put on the table and, like I said, we had fun at the dinner table.
If you are convinced that you have to fix something different for your child because they are a picky eaters think about this: Children born in different cultures learn to eat all kinds of things that we would never think of eating…bugs, worms, raw fish, etc…. and they like it! That’s because that’s what they are served and they don’t have any other choices. Your children will learn to eat what you fix as long as you keep a positive attitude about it and don’t give them any other options. What four-year-old wouldn’t pick candy over meatloaf if they knew it was an option?
If they choose not to eat, just accept that choice with a smile. One hour later when they begin to whine and plead for something because they are hungry, it’s OK to sympathize with them…. “I bet you are hungry, I’d probably be really hungry too!” BUT DO NOT fix them something to eat!!! I promise they will not starve to death before the next meal!
At our house, we allowed each child to choose the menu one night each week. That way they got to have their favorite food and they felt good that other members of the family enjoyed their choice also. Today, none of my children are picky eaters.
Here’s another option for picky teenagers who won’t eat what’s offered - you can tell them that they can fix what they want for themselves as long as they clean up everything after they are finished. That includes washing the dishes so they don’t create more work for you because of their pickiness. This works because it teaches them the consequences of imposing themselves on others.
©2010 raise a kid R.I.G.H.T.
Our kids knew this because that’s the way it had always been. There was never any arguing or nagging. We never heard “Yuk! I don’t like this,” because they knew that our pleasant response would be, “That’s fine, honey, you don’t have to eat it.” And, if they couldn’t find something they liked we would say. “I’m sorry, maybe you’ll like the next meal better.” It didn’t take long before our children ate and enjoyed pretty much everything we put on the table and, like I said, we had fun at the dinner table.
If you are convinced that you have to fix something different for your child because they are a picky eaters think about this: Children born in different cultures learn to eat all kinds of things that we would never think of eating…bugs, worms, raw fish, etc…. and they like it! That’s because that’s what they are served and they don’t have any other choices. Your children will learn to eat what you fix as long as you keep a positive attitude about it and don’t give them any other options. What four-year-old wouldn’t pick candy over meatloaf if they knew it was an option?
If they choose not to eat, just accept that choice with a smile. One hour later when they begin to whine and plead for something because they are hungry, it’s OK to sympathize with them…. “I bet you are hungry, I’d probably be really hungry too!” BUT DO NOT fix them something to eat!!! I promise they will not starve to death before the next meal!
At our house, we allowed each child to choose the menu one night each week. That way they got to have their favorite food and they felt good that other members of the family enjoyed their choice also. Today, none of my children are picky eaters.
Here’s another option for picky teenagers who won’t eat what’s offered - you can tell them that they can fix what they want for themselves as long as they clean up everything after they are finished. That includes washing the dishes so they don’t create more work for you because of their pickiness. This works because it teaches them the consequences of imposing themselves on others.
©2010 raise a kid R.I.G.H.T.
