Getting our little blessings to eat is hard. Getting them to eat healthy is a whole different level of hard. I hear, and say, these things all the time:
"All he'll eat is chicken nuggets."
"All he wants is ranch dressing and cookies."
"He needs CALORIES!"
"He'll eat once I bribe him!"
"Why does he love something one day and hate it the next?"
"It's so discouraging to cook 3 meals a day and all he wants is peanut butter."
When my son is particularly difficult, I like to fantasize about the day when he will be old enough to cook a meal, in which I will spit out said meal and say, "I DON'T WIIIIIIKE IT!!!" And then I will request fruit snacks and jelly beans for dinner.
It helps me cope.
My mommy friend, Carolyn, discovered that her toddler ate better when she could walk and eat. I've been trying it, and it works! There has been less pleading and frustration on our part, and he eats better. We still have our basic dinner rules:
1. No yelling, fits or spitting at the table.
2. No treats if dinner is not eaten.
3. I will only make him a special meal if what I cooked is too spicy or ethnic.
Other than that, I'm open to suggestions. I'll try every one. And, so far, the "walking around and eating plan" seems to be working. I'll care about the importance of eating at the dinner table another day.
Suprisingly, getting him to eat cheesecake is not a challenge....
