Taking upto an hour to eat tea...

[JLeigh29]

Someone wrote a similar thread not long ago... maybe have a look as I remember there were a few good suggestions.

FWIW, I don't have a 3yo but I'd be exasperated if DS took that long to eat a meal. Having said that, Mum tells me I regularly took that long to eat!

[Floweryfields]

I don't think the tv should be on during meal times at all regardless of how fast someone eats or not - same with toys I guess. For me there needs to be a clear boundary - this is meal time, that is play time. Out of curiosity, what time do you eat tea? Perhaps you need to make an effort to get it on the table earlier and see how that works out?

[kelebek]

I see your point ausgirl but even before DS we never ate at the table always in the loungeroom with the tv on.

I think that is what annoyed me about last night as well is that OH and I were going to have a different tea to DS last night cause DS doesn't eat tacos and that's what OH wanted. DS is a plain eater... steak/chicken and vege (carrots, zuchinni, brocoli, cauliflower) cause he eats that so well I am not worried that he doesn't eat tacos. I served DS tea about 5.50pm So it seemed to me like he put all this pressure onto DS to eat and we weren't even eating!!

[kelebek]

I don't disagree with no toys and even no tv but I didn't like the way he approached it. We had discussed and and I thought he had agreed with me (obviosly not) My appraoch is a more of a compromise.... let's start with this and if that doesn't work make it clear to DS and do that (hope that made sense)

I don't think I would help DS if I didn't feel pressure from OH that DS should be finished earlier.... argh.... just so frustrated

[Floweryfields]

Whatever you decide to do, you and you OH need to be a 'united force' for any rules. So you really do need to discuss how something is going to work and what strategies you are going to use and support each other and follow through with them.
Personally I would set a time limit to finish a meal - something reasonable, 30 mins or so and make it clear that if you haven't eaten your dinner by then, meal time will be over. 30 mins is still long enough to eat slowly and not scoff the food down. Just my opinion.

[HotI]

Do you know why your OH wants him to eat quicker? Is it so he can have bath and get to bed etc or is just cos OH thinks you he should be able to eat quicker? Is it becoming a power struggle where OH has forgotten why he wants your son to be quicker?

My DD is younger, but i don't want power struggles for no reason. When we have to go somewhere do something, i have to stop meals prematurely or encourage, but if i have the time i would much rather she eat at her own pace. And be able to guage her feelings of hunger and saiety more easily.

[Phteven]

I think that no TV no toys is a great start.
I wouldn't tolerate an hour. I would give 10 minutes maximum after I have finished eating.
IMO dinner is not an important meal - if my children have eaten a variety of healthy food during the day having a small dinner is fine. The only reason that dinner matters is because it is a time that we all sit at the the table together.

[Rouge]

At 3 no I never helped my kids, yes they might take a little longer, but so be it. I think eating earlier is extremely important for little people because they are hungry earlier and they are not tired. I also agree no tv and no toys.

[Rach75]

my almost 5 yr old is a PIA when it comes ot eating...we have no tv no toys rule, and it can still take him hours to eat they same amount of food his almost 2 yr old brother takes 10min, we are at our whits end...to the stage we put a time limit on how long we feel is reasonable and if not eaten he goes hungry...so I feel your OH pain ...