my 6 year old son is a real pain during meal times, especially dinner. He's wiggly and won't sit still in his chair. He also refuses to eat most of the time. He will demand I make him something else and then he'll complain about that new food I just wasted my time making. I don't know what to do, he's just a pain in the butt during meal times and I don't know why because the snack cabinet is up high, too high for him to get at.
2007-03-02 13:03:55 · 17 answers · asked by Brenda 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
I know I need to force him, I just feel bad seeing him upset so I give in... I was the type of mom who hated to hear him cry so I'd always pick him up. I guess I just feel bad
2007-03-02 13:23:47 · update #1
I would quit giving in to him you are only encouraging future arguments. Maybe you can find a way to get him involved in planning and making the dinner and once dinner is served do not give in. He will eat because he will get hungry. Besides he can not complain if he helped.
2007-03-02 13:08:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
My grandfather always told me... no one ever starved with food on the table.
Mine did the same thing.
You need to stop with the snacks. If he's hungry, he'll eat.
If he still doesn't eat.. DO NOT make him something else.. you are not running a restaurant!!! You need to tell him that this is what's for dinner. If he doesn't want it, it's bedtime.. when his tummy starts growling and he asks for dinner after everything has been put away... you need to explain to him that dinnertime was at .......o'clock and the next time you will have a meal will be at .......o'clock.
He needs to reminded who runs things.. It's the big people in the house, not him.
Good Luck
PS.. he won't starve.. I promise.. He might think so.. but you can assure him that you have never heard of a little boy starving from missing 1 meal.
2007-03-06 16:47:33 · answer #2 · answered by larsgirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sweetie, if your child has you this wrapped around his finger now, what will you do when he demands his way at 13? He'll be fighting you tooth and nail for privileges he's not ready for, and what will you do?
It's important not to create any more tension around food--it can precipitate an eating disorder--but he does have to eat, eventually, and he will.
Stop caving in when he wants his way, whether with snacks, dinner, playtime, bathtime, whatever. You need to be the one with the final say!
As for the food--do not allow any snacks between lunch and dinner. As another poster said, have your son prepare salad, butter the bread, set the table--jobs he can manage--to prepare for dinner. If he's involved, he will eat better.
It's also very important to not let on to him that it matters to you if he eats what you cook. The rule should be :No eating dinner, nothing except water until breakfast. No further discussion.
He will test you again and again, but your son's health is precious, and nutrition matters.Stay firm!!
If he only eats snacks, his health and growth will suffer. BTW, snacks for a kid with picky eating habits should ONLY be fruit or cheese, as snacktime is another opportunity to get some real food in his tummy. Ditto for drinking only water until he gets the idea about eating well. Soda is empty calories.
Lastly, try some books like Vicky Lanskys' FEED ME, I"M YOURS. She gives Moms great advice on nutrition for kids.
Good luck!
2007-03-02 22:29:54 · answer #3 · answered by Croa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say that you need to put your foot down. I am the mother of 4 kids ages 13,12,11 and 3. I would never make another meal just because they demanded it. They eat what I make or they can make themselves a hot dog or pb&j sandwich. You are the parent not him. He will never learn if you keep giving in to every demand that he gives you. If he is hungry enough then he will eat what you cook. I would start taking things away from him until he learns to be respectful to you. Good Luck
2007-03-02 21:10:04 · answer #4 · answered by Barb S 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Don't let your son be the boss! I have heard a story of how a mother treated her son soo well and she never yelled at him etc. When he was about 12 years old he said shut the **** up to his mother and now he treats her like crap, this could happen to you if you don't show him who is boss. Don't waste your time doing something useless when you could be doing something better.
If he doesn't eat then just wait and when he is whining and screaming give him what you want to give him. Just leave it infront of him sooner or later when he is really really hungry he will have to eat it because he can't get anything out for himself.
Don't let him be the boss of you. And when he is crying and whining that is all just fake things that children use against their parents. Don't give into it, just tell him what to eat or he won't get anything at all. Trust me kids will eat anything if they are really hungry.
2007-03-02 22:14:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why do you make this brat separate food? It will take work to retrain him after the bad precedent you have set, but you must get firm and refuse to make him different food. He can eat what you make if he's hungry or he can be excused from the table. If he's wiggly and won't sit still, make him leave the table with no food (this would be really effective on a night that he DOES want to eat). Once or twice of that and he will be cured. He won't starve.
2007-03-02 21:10:06 · answer #6 · answered by toomanycommercials 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I know, I was like that with my first son too. The thing is, he's 6, not 3! You need to set down the rules and tell him if he doesn't obey, then straight to bed and go to sleep with a hungry tummy. Have him help by setting the table, getting you the ingredients etc. When he is a little older you can teach him to cook, and hey then it won't always be your job to cook after a long day!
Lay down the law, and don't back down!
2007-03-03 17:56:33 · answer #7 · answered by Jen C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems like he is doing this because he feels he has control over you. I know it is hard, but you have to set some ground rules and stick to them. Have him eat what he is given. At least one bite of everything. Then, if he won't eat anymore, he can be done. No snack at night. It is up to him on whether or not he wants to eat. After the first few times, he should know how to act.
2007-03-02 23:02:30 · answer #8 · answered by jefftechcrew2006 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i know it can be extremely hard at times but you really need to crack down on him and be stern. if he refuses to eat, excuse him from the dinner table and DONT let him eat anything else until breakfast the next morning. no matter how hard he cries/whines dont give in. if you keep giving him alternatives then he is going to keep acting up. you could also ask him for some dinner ideas on things he would like to eat, and have him help prepare dinner.
2007-03-02 21:30:42 · answer #9 · answered by krystal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No snacks, and don't fix him what he wants. He needs to learn to eat what you have prepared for dinner. He's manipulating you and you need to put a stop to it NOW. He'll get hungry enough to eat. Give it time but be firm.
2007-03-02 21:34:57 · answer #10 · answered by mimegamy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋