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Do you think 2 is too young to use this method? By this method I mean if dd doesn't eat what she is given for dinner then she goes to bed hungry (provided it was something usual)
I enforced this tonight and the screams went on and on. She was crying tears for yoghurt, but I just kept telling her not until she finished some more of her dinner (which she didn't) She is fine now and in the bath, but I feel so horrible :(
How many of you do this at this age?? I'm interested....
I've wondered this as well. Some days I follow through ( when it's things I know my DS 3.5yr eats) and other times if it's new food I will make him try one mouthful before he can then move on to yours or fruit.
I think it's more for me that I give other food as I am worried he will wake overnight hungry lol.
Yes, I was just thinking the same! :lol: I just feel that 2 might be a bit young to understand. I don't want her to think "why is mum leaving me hungry???" :(
Each day is different for us, depending on what they've eaten during the day, if they're well, and what dinner is. There have been times when I've known with one bite that neither will like it and can't be expected to eat it, so they try and are offered something else.
Today though, dinner was awesome and I know DS (22 months) likes everything in it. At daycare he ate all of morning tea, three bowls of lunch, and two bowls of afternoon tea. He's healthy and happy. But he refused to even touch his dinner, he barely looked at it, so he didn't get anything else. He did complain after bath when DD got something, but I don't want him thinking he can waste dinner and hold out for something better. He gets it. He either goes to bed without (and it hasn't caused any problems yet) or he decides dinner isn't so bad after all.
I started this approach at 6 months. Ok, new or not liked food I can cope with a try and a change, I also substitute for disliked foods, but those are my rules. They work well, but I serve food he likes usually. Tonight his first mouthful was of a new food. It was then left, but it was tried.
I don't, however, force feed him or serve up his dinner for breakfast if he won't eat it. Fair enough no pudding if you don't eat dinner, but not going hungry all the next day.
Tonight was pasta with a tsp of butter and some grated cheese!! I added some peas, carrots and corn and she picked them all out :( If it has next to no nutritional value she will devour it. Sigh.
I know Liebs won't eat pasta sauce, so he often has pasta, ketchup and cheese while we have a nice sauce. But he will eat a carrot while I cook and have fruit or yoghurt for pudding. Not every meal has to tick every healthy box.