Quote:
Originally Posted by rach3975
The "rule" I've read about feeding kids is that parents decide what foods to offer, but kids decide how much to eat. I think I'd have a talk with him about why he was doing it. It sounds like he may be getting more food than he's hungry for but feeling like he can't just stop eating when he's done. If it was something along those lines, I'd apologize for making him feel that way and brainstorm ways to change the behavior on both parts (ie, you give him smaller helpings, he tell you when he's had enough instead of hiding food). As mad as it might make me to have to find and clean it all up, I'd focus on the underlying problem and not punish. However, I would have him help clean it up. And if it happened again, then there would be consequences.
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This rule works great in our house. If he doesn't eat then he doesn't eat. I do not badger him. That just makes it worse. I've watched friends of mine have a all out war with their kids at the table every time they sit to eat. No fun. Much easier to say: eat or don't eat.
I've also found he will eventually eat. The same book that rule came from also said you should offer some kind of meal/snack every 3 or so hours. So if they don't eat one then they will eat the other. On the nights he has a very scanty dinner, he usually eats a really big breakfast.
This works IF each meal/snack is something healthy to eat. If the evening (before bed-time) snack is always a treat then I'm pretty sure the kid would just eat those. But our evening snack is rarely a treat. Often we have scrambled eggs. Sometimes popcorn or pretzels. And sometimes even fruit! And then occasionally I offer a treat -- not as a reward but as a surprise: Mommy has chocolate pudding!
I wish I could remember the name of that book. The women was incredible. Amazing testimonials about creating healthy eating habits for kids.