How can my daughter get the children to eat their meals without a fuss? ?

Question

The children are aged 2 and 5 and take ages with their tea just messing about. Their mum is at her wits end and found herself screaming at them . The only advice i could think of was set a time limit to the meals then take the plate away. anyone help?

Answer 1

I agree and no dessert too. My daughter used to be this way (now 9) and we got so tired of nagging her (she used to either play with her food or talk) that we told her once and if she carried on we took her plate away. It was hard as she would then say but Mum I'm hungry but she got the message! Only took 3-4 days!

Answer 2

She needs to buy a paddle and USE it.

Answer 3

cricket cricket

Answer 4

No in between snacks.

If they helped to prepare the food they might be proud enough of their efforts to eat it.

No fuss, plate away after a reasonable time.  The odd treat if the meal has been eaten reasonably well.

Take time to sit and eat with them.

Answer 5

My boys are 5 and 8 now and i did exactly the same thing, even now if they mess around they are treated the same. I do not allow them dessert if they do not sit properly and I give them a time limit if they start and take their plate away. It is the best thing that I could suggest

Answer 6

my daughter takes awhile eating her food and its not because shes messing around, she just takes awhile to eat.  Perhaps try for a week as a punishment making them eat apart.  Tell them if they can not behave while eating at the table together then they will eat apart.  Then after a week if they have been eating well individually try as a reward putting them back together at the table again to enjoy a meal together.  Also the plate thing might work.  Or perhaps a star chart, kids love charts.

Answer 7

I think your suggestion is an excellent one.  Have her show them the timer, explain how things are going to work and set about making it so, and if they fool around they  don't get any snacks later because they are hungry.  That is their own fault.  It will only take once or twice being hungry and they will learn how things need to work.  They won't starve.

Answer 8

You're right. If you fuss and faff and shout, they just do it more as to them ANY attention is good and they also feel the "power" that food gives them over Mum..she shou;ld put the food down...not fuss and anything not eaten after 20-30 minutes should be removed. End of story. No sensible child will starve itself..my daughter was a bit like that and I never worried..I just left her to it..she's now 4 and the tallest in her class.