Forcing kids to eat (was: Digest Number 947)

[Guest guest]

I agree with you to a point, Hadass. When you only have one or two kids,

what's the big deal of making something different for them after they have

tasted that which is served for the meal. BUT, when you have five picky

eaters and it's a continual struggle to find something they all want to eat,

then that becomes a problem. I am not nor do I have the time to be a

restaurant chef and give each person in my family what he or she wants. I

always make sure that there's something familiar in the meal that they like.

I too was made to eat everything on my plate before I left the table when I

was a child. There were many nights my mother carried me from the table to

bed because I fell asleep not eating the food. The food was there for me in

the morning to eat. I hated that and will never do that to my kids, but I

won't have my kitchen being a restaurant either. If they don't like any of

what is on the table then there is always PB sandwiches (no J because then

it becomes too much like a sweet treat). If we are having something with

rice or some kind of pasta, I know they'll eat that. No it's not nutritious

but putting nutritional yeast on it (which my kids love to eat on things or

straight) ups the nutrients and I feel much better about it.

 

God's Peace,

Gayle

-

" Lion's Ima " <heviatar

 

Tuesday, August 31, 2004 11:50 PM

Forcing kids to eat (was: Re: Digest Number 947)

 

 

> , " Madeline White "

> <madeline_killian@h...> wrote:

> > It isn't really an issue in our house because I

> > am easy going about it but other people tell me that it should be

> eat what

> > is on your plate or go hungry. I do not agree with this and would

> never go

> > this far but would like some other ideas.

>

> I would never force a kid to eat what's on their plate or go hungry. I

> was a supertaster as a child, still am to some extent, and I wasn't

> being naughty or spoiled or whatever. I just couldn't stand the

> texture of some foods, and that's all there was to it. I would

> probably have gone to bed hungry many, many nights! Luckily my mother

> never forced me, either. I outgrew most of it and eat a very good,

> balanced diet. As my superpicky oldest child grows older, he will try

> new things now and then, and I expect he will outgrow it, too. What's

> the big deal in slicing an extra apple or warming up an extra serving

> of rice? People make such a big deal of things ... and as you say, it

> makes mealtimes unpleasant!

>

> Be well, Hadass.

>

>

>

>

>

> For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

>

> edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, <quintmom@n...> wrote:

> I agree with you to a point, Hadass. When you only have one or two

kids,

> what's the big deal of making something different for them after

they have

> tasted that which is served for the meal. BUT, when you have five picky

> eaters and it's a continual struggle to find something they all want

to eat,

> then that becomes a problem.

 

Just for the record, while I don't have five kids, I do have three. So

I'm not talking about one or two. I prepare a meal for DH and myself,

and then I prepare their three plates and put them on the table. There

are certain commonalities in the " kid food " (as in, two will eat

potatoes, two [different two] will eat noodles, all three will eat

rice, etc.), so I'm not making three totally different meals for them.

They also don't get to order what they like at the table - I do give

some choices *before starting preparation*, but after that they have

to stick with what they chose. I am also very hard on asking for

something and not eating it.

 

I admit that life is easier when there is overlap between what they

eat and what we are eating, but who said life had to be easy?

 

I am not nor do I have the time to be a

> restaurant chef and give each person in my family what he or she

wants. I

> always make sure that there's something familiar in the meal that

they like.

 

Are there certain commonalities that you could exploit, as mentioned

above? Although it sounds like you are doing that already.

 

> If they don't like any of

> what is on the table then there is always PB sandwiches (no J

because then

> it becomes too much like a sweet treat). If we are having something

with

> rice or some kind of pasta, I know they'll eat that. No it's not

nutritious

> but putting nutritional yeast on it (which my kids love to eat on

things or

> straight) ups the nutrients and I feel much better about it.

 

In my house, there are only brown rice and whole wheat pasta

available. Whenever they complain (after they've had the white stuff

at somebody else's house), I tell them that when they start eating

vegetables, I'll buy white rice and pasta 8-). Hasn't happened yet ...

 

Be well, Hadass.

[Guest guest]

Ewww! White rice and pasta! I agree with you - not in my house either. As for

the bread and the PB, both are homemade so that leaves out the yucky stuff that

is found in some of the store bought products. I do offer varieties at meal

time and throughout the day so that the kids might find something they might

like. The biggest thing I try for is a peaceful meal. I don't think conflict

is a good thing for meals now or in the future for them. I have always been a

grazer as far as eating goes and I don't mind if my kids are. They normally eat

well throughout the day on nutritious things so if they decide to eat a PB

sandwich instead of the meal that is being served, I don't worry. I just try to

make what they do eat throughout the day count nutritionally.

 

God's Peace,

Gayle