I swore I would never do this. I'm actually catering to my dog. I thought I had it bad with the kids.
He won't eat his food unless I put yogurt on it.
He's a dog.
Shouldn't he be willing to eat anything?
When we got him he was almost starved, you could see all of his ribs. So I was worried about him getting enough food every day. Now we have gotten him up to an acceptable weight, but of course I still worry.
Now I seriously "have to" mix yogurt in with his food just to entice him to eat. I know I could just leave it alone and then he would get hungry enough and eat, but I never want to see him as skinny as he was again.
I must be the "sucker born every second". Maybe I will start letting him just wait until he eats.
How do I end up with all the picky eaters. Did I do something that caused the universe to give them all to me? I mean I was picky as kid but not this bad.
My kids are some of the pickiest eaters I have ever heard of. They eat about five things (well a few more actually but you get my point).
Chicken nuggets (tyson brand only and they prefer them frozen...i know its weird but safe, i checked),
peanut butter and honey sandwiches cut in shapes,
granola bars (quaker chewy only),
fruit snacks,
pizza,
bacon,
graham crackers
and goldfish.
Those are the staples.
Please keep in mind that my kids may be different than yours. This is meant as a humorous account of one time.
Now that they are getting older I've been able to introduce a few new foods. And when they like them I have to call everyone and throw a party. Here is how it goes when we try a new food:
Me(8am): Okay guys, tonight for dinner we are going to try a new food. We are going to try spaghetti. (you would think this would be kid friendly right? all kids love it.)
Girl: ummm what does it taste like? (i have to say it tastes like something they already eat or some type of candy for her to even think about trying it, but I can't think of anything that she likes that tastes like it.)
Me: Like spaghetti. All kids love it. (a little peer pressure never hurts right?)Don't you want to be like the rest of the kids? Wouldn't it be great to like the same foods other kids like, so that when you go over to their house you won't leave in tears because they invited you to eat lunch?
Girl: Yeah I guess
Boy: No...
Me (2pm): Okay guys don't forget we are trying a new food tonight. And its going to be great!!!(i'm really trying to be positive here)
Boy: No
Me (5pm): Okay who wants to help me make this yummy spaghetti? This is going to be so good!
Boy: I'm busy and I don't like it (you can't ask him to try anything, you just have to tell him)
Girl: Oh yea!!! I love to help.
Me: If you help you really have to try it. You have to eat 3 bites.
Girl: ummmm...okay
(At the table)
Me(5:15pm): Doesn't this look so good? I bet you are going to love it.
(we are sitting sitting sitting, staring at the noodles)
Me (5:20pm):Okay Its time to take a bite (note that the bites are about a 1/4 inch long)
Girl: ummmm... I think I may need my cd player with the picky eater song on it.(I have researched picky eating and one thing they said was that picky eaters chose to be that way, to be in charge the only way they knew how. Go figure. So I let her do her think hoping it will help her feel in charge.)
Boy: I don't like noodles.
Me: (to boy)You haven't tried how do you know you won't like it? You're not getting anything else for dinner tonight. You have to eat your noodles. And if you do you'll get desert. (dessert is the key to his eating)
Girl (5:30):.....(still looking for cd)
Boy: okay I'll eat them. mmmm I like noodles can I have some more please?
Me: See I told you you would like it. (I know I sound like a five year old but that's what I'm dealing with)
Girl (5:40): Okay I found my cd. (so now we play the song twice while she holds the noodle on her fork, I am being very patient)
Girl: I think I may need to listen to the song again. (takes deep breaths and looks as though she may throw up, still holding my tongue and being patient)
Me(6:00 pm): (I am starting to loose all patience I have ever had)Just put the noodle in your mouth and chew and then take a big drink of water. The faster you do it the sooner its done.
Girl(6:05 pm): I think I may throw up
Me: If you don't do it by the time I count to five I will put it in your mouth for you.
Girl: (after I get to 4 she puts it in her mouth, and acts like she is going to gag)
Me: If you throw that up you'll have to eat it again. (I've lost all patience now)
Girl: Ok....*sob*
Me: Now take two more bites (once again they are a 1/4 inch long, one spaghetti noodle)
Girl: I may need to listen to the song again.
Me: Eat the noodles or else
Finally the one noodle(all three bites of it) is eaten (20 minutes later)and she decides she hates it. I think she has texture issues. It took us almost an hour to eat 3/4 of an inch of noodle. I am worn out. But she at least ate it this time. There is a first time for everything.
I choose not to try any new foods for another month. It just takes too much out of me. I even make them make their own supper. They are 8 and 5 now they can do things like this. I decide if they are going to be picky let them figure out what to eat. (I do watch to make sure they aren't eating apple jacks for 3 meals a day though).
So now I try to find a new food that I know they will like once a month. I figure if I only give them foods they like, they'll be more willing to try more in the future.
I'm not asking for much, I just figured it would be nice if they ate like other kids. But once again I don't want to give them any food complexes so I basically let them eat their staples and get on with life. The pediatrician says they'll be ok.
Sometimes the fight just isn't worth it.
***Since the noodle experiment I have tried some new tactics. (I'm so afraid of them having food issues I hate to push anything on them and when I do I become a nazi). I make sure I tell her everything tastes like bacon. The next new food we tried was brisket (i told her it tastes like bacon, she loves bacon)and by golly she ate her entire plate of brisket and asked for seconds. I was dumbstruck. Now we have added a ham and cheese sandwich with mayo, grilled cheese, and quesadillas. She even tried cantaloupe and a cherry and is still making up her mind on those.Still no luck with any type of noodle, I even let her pick out all the cute noodle types we saw at the store, but no luck.
7 comments:
Who is in charge here?
you are afraid of developing food issues???????? They already have food issues. AND THEY ARE DICTATING TO YOU.
At my house, you either eat what is before you or you don't get any food till the next meal.
Good luck and remember you are not the kids friend.. you are their mother!!
Thanks for your input. You are more than welcome to come over and try anything you like on my kids. If you can get them to eat, more power to you. I have had several people who have tried and failed.
I know they have food issues, I don't want to cause more issues. I would like to remind you that just because something works for you it may not work for others. Try walking a day in my shoes and see what you can accomplish.
This blog was an example of one day of trying. I have researched and read everything out there about picky eating and have tried it all to no avail. But if you read the bottom of my blog you will see that I am finally succeeding in my food quest.
I really don't appreciate your negative tone. And why are you not willing to let me know who you are? Why anonymous?
A couple of things--
1) Anonymous--while I see some of your points, I think you need to think about your way of approach. Posting anonymously? Not cool. If you want to slam someone, at least have the guts to do it with your name.
2) Knowing your children the way I do, Deb, I cracked up reading this!! I had Hannah and Ben's voices in my head the entire time and I couldn't keep in the laugh!
3) I've had the experience of trying to convince Hannah that some normal food that everyone child in all of the US likes and I know--she does NOT bend. What is it about that girl?? LOL. Gotta love her!
4) The dog is a dog. No more yogurt!
5) Yeah for the ham and cheese sandwich and other new things. I'm glad she is willing to try!
Hang in there, sweetie! Ten bucks says that "the girl" will be a gourmet chef in 20 years! And the boy? Hmmm, I still see him in a red cape and tights...the world will definitely need more superheroes!
Love you--
MH
Totally rolling my eyes at anonymous.
I had a mother like anonymous - we were not allowed to leave the table without "cleaning our plate". I can vividly remember my sister sitting there for hours, HOURS, sniffling and wiping her eyes while trying not to barf from the tuna casserole in front of her.
Me? I cleaned my plate. I also developed a raging case of bulimia in college that took years to get over, and I still have food issues.
Debbie - you're doing great. I have a very similar attitude...I am so afraid of giving them a complex, I pretty much let them choose (within reason). My only rule is that you can't have dessert if you don't at least try all the elements of dinner (in an attempt to increase their palate) but they certainly don't have to eat anything they don't want to. That seems like a basic human right to me. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and autonomy over what goes in your mouth.
Love ya Deb!
Oh my gosh. I can totally relate. My older son is such a terrible eater. He will only eat his staples as well. I also think that he has some "texture issues". Hope things are going better for you.
I have the same issues! My 3.5 y/o is all about the chicken nuggets. It is a meltdown every time we pass McDonalds. Hang in there!
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