What do you do when your child doesn't want to eat what you made for dinner? Usually, I don't make things the kids don't enjoy. Then again, my kids eat really well compared to other kids I've come across. When David and I want to eat something we know the kids won't, we are more inclined to make a seperate meal for them to enjoy. By this I mean the meal would be too spicy, or something more adult oriented. Kids just don't really care for a bowl of chili.
Last night we had meatloaf. We haven't fixed meatloaf in forever, and I think the way David makes it is just like our hamburgers. Caitlyn, for some reason started in on her drama queen routine the second she found out it was meatloaf. At 8 years old, she is very persuaded by family, tv, and friends... mostly friends. This is a difficult age, a time where she is discovering herself... but all I see is her trying to be like her friend. Whenever this certain friend comes over the drama queen routine kicks into full gear. Is this where the meatloaf hatred came in??
We all sat down to dinner and Caitlyn started making faces, eating everything but her meatloaf, pretending she was going to throw up, all causing her brother to want to do the same. We quickly corrected him, and attempted to do the same with her. Wyatt finished his dinner in no time, as did Baylee... Caitlyn chose to not eat and spend the rest of the night in her room. We told her this did not mean she didn't have to finish it, her meatloaf would be waiting for her come breakfast.
She must have thought we weren't serious, as she spent from 7:30 to 9 this morning, making excuses, pretending she was eating it, crying, anything she could to get out of eating this meatloaf. By this time I was beyond frustrated with her and told her to go back to her room. I made sure she knew that at lunch it would still be there. What am I going to do? I can't just let her think she doesn't have to eat it. I can't let her think that if she puts up enough of a fight, and causes enough drama that she will get out of it. Life just doesn't work that way. She is clearly just acting spoiled in my opinion. She says "I'm hungry". So I tell her to eat the meatloaf. "Well I'm not hungry for that." Well sorry sweetie, you're just not hungry then. I explain to her that there are many children out there who have little to nothing to eat and would gladly eat her meatloaf if given the chance. Still, she just wants "something else".
What do you do when your children won't eat what's been put in front of them? Her drama queen antics have got to stop, she never acted this way before, it sure as hell isn't gonna start at 8 years old! Sound off in the comments... let me know what helps your kids eat something they don't particularly enjoy! I probably won't make her eat it again after she finishes this ONE slice, but seriously... it can't be THAT bad.
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2 comments:
Ok I would do exactly what you did and are doing. I would send my kids to bed with no dinner. I am not one to make a separate meal for one person, unless we have it before and I know for a fact they do not like it. We have also done what you have with making them eat it before they have anything else. If she doesn't eat it by tonight then I wouldn't fight her on it anymore. Give it to her one more time for dinner. It isn't worth stressing yourself out over it. But let her know that her refusing to even try it is unacceptable and she has to at least try a bite of it. Good luck
I don't make mine eat it the next day but they go to bed and don't get anything else. I've sent Troy to bed at 6:30 before b/c he wouldn't eat what was put in front of him. I generally try not to make meals they won't eat but I get tired of eating the same thing.
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