BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Eating For Toddlers => Topic started by: Avery3 on December 20, 2011, 21:01:17 pm
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My nearly 3 yr old boy (3 in January) will tell me he his hungry in the evening, I make dinner and he will either not eat it or only eat a few bites. Fine, i let him down from the table. I put his dinner on the bench (or, he does, he knows to put it on the bench to show he has finished) and I put gladwrap over it. always right at bedtime he will tell me he is hungry. I ssay "do you want me to reheat your dinner? becasue thats all there is" and most times he says yes and he will eat it.
Its a bit frustrating because its always right at bedtime, so it does make bedtime a bit later, im wondering if this is a stalling tactic? if not then how do I get him to eat it at a better time rather than bedtime and why bedtime does he ask for it?
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I'd say a stalling tactic. My 2yo Cadan does it with drinks and will drink a whole cup at bedtime if I let him.
Can you warn him before you start getting ready for bed that he has one last chance to eat his dinner and if he doesn't eat it he will have to go to bed without anything. I'd say something like don't ask for dinner when we get upstairs as it will be bedtime. If you want dinner this is the last chance to eat it. Then stick to it.
Could it also be that he isn't hungry enough at dinner time? How long has it been since he last ate when he is first offered dinner. I imagine it is difficukt for a 3yo to know if he is really hungry or just fancies something nice to eat. I know Cadan will say he wants dinner right after a late nap but I know he'll only eat a few bites if I give it then but will eat much more if I wait an hour.
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I agree with Ali. Sounds like a stalling tactic to me!
I would make dinner available until a certain time and remind him that after this offer there is nothing more to morning and then just follow it through.
HTH x
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I would make dinner available until a certain time and remind him that after this offer there is nothing more to morning and then just follow it through.
This is what we do ... but we do have dinner just before bath and bedtime. Maybe try offering it a bit later and explain that as soon as he has eaten it is time for his bedtime routine (and stick to this) ???
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ok thanks, I just worried that it was truly hunger as last night he polished off the whole meal at bedtime. I figured if he wasnt hungry he wouldnt eat?
I will offer to him before teeth brushing and then once teeth are brushed i will say "you have brushed your teeht, that means its time for bed and not time for dinner, that was earlier"
does that sound ok?
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We used to do this with our DD with milk right around 3 or so as well. She'd often cry for milk right before bed so instead we'd warn her when we were going upstairs that if she wanted more milk it would have to be right then as we were about to go upstairs and brush teeth and get ready for bed and there would be no more milk. The first couple nights she cried and screamed about it wanting milk after brushing but we held firm and reminded her of what we had said and only offered water at that point. After a couple nights she stopped and would drink the milk (if she wanted it) before going upstairs and that was that (except for some instances here and there would it would come up again for a night or two).
I would just say to him "it's almost bedtime we are going to brush teeth and get ready for bed soon. If you are hungry you need to eat your dinner now, once we brush your teeth there is only water".
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great thanks, will try that tonight :)
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does that sound ok?
yup! just ensure you are consistent and don't change your mind if he protests, or he will learn that if he kicks up enough fuss you will change your mind ;)