Comments on: Picky Picky http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/ Living Well on Less Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:17:06 -0400 hourly 1 By: Julie H. http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-15444 Julie H. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:54:54 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-15444 I'll agree with others, great post! I am studying to be a dietitan and this is always a concern to me. I think a lot of moms fall into the "media pitfall" too. We see so many products advertised and we think our kids MUST have those to be satisfied, nourished, etc. The mommy-guilt is laid on thick. It is so easy to be lured into thinking something is healthy just because the packaging says "100% Vitamin C", etc. Well, an orange and broccoli are packed with vitamin C and you don't have to pay extra for packaging. Sorry to go on... I am so passionate about this. Really, a lifetime of eating habits are formed within the first 5 years of a child's life. If all you serve is chicken nuggets and fries, that is all your child will want and expect. So after allt that....dinner at my house is one meal (I have 2 kids). My 4yo eats anything but we had a struggle for about a year and now he is eating raw mushrooms, spinach, etc...without me asking. My dd is 1 and she is a mess. lol Her tastebuds change daily and I'm just remembering it's a phase. The important thing is to keep re-introducing the foods they turn away. It takes at least 10 exposures of a new food before a child will decide if they like it or not. So persevere!!! I have found that dd will also wait for snack and not eat her meal....so we limit snacks. Sorry for the book. :) I’ll agree with others, great post! I am studying to be a dietitan and this is always a concern to me. I think a lot of moms fall into the “media pitfall” too. We see so many products advertised and we think our kids MUST have those to be satisfied, nourished, etc. The mommy-guilt is laid on thick. It is so easy to be lured into thinking something is healthy just because the packaging says “100% Vitamin C”, etc. Well, an orange and broccoli are packed with vitamin C and you don’t have to pay extra for packaging. Sorry to go on… I am so passionate about this. Really, a lifetime of eating habits are formed within the first 5 years of a child’s life. If all you serve is chicken nuggets and fries, that is all your child will want and expect.
So after allt that….dinner at my house is one meal (I have 2 kids). My 4yo eats anything but we had a struggle for about a year and now he is eating raw mushrooms, spinach, etc…without me asking. My dd is 1 and she is a mess. lol Her tastebuds change daily and I’m just remembering it’s a phase. The important thing is to keep re-introducing the foods they turn away. It takes at least 10 exposures of a new food before a child will decide if they like it or not. So persevere!!! I have found that dd will also wait for snack and not eat her meal….so we limit snacks.

Sorry for the book. :)

]]> By: Beth@Not a Bow in Sight http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5978 Beth@Not a Bow in Sight Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:02:51 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5978 Wow, this is such a touchy subject at my house. My mom kept my kids while I worked up until 2007. By that point they were already used to eating whatever they want. Now they are 5 and 3 and I end up cooking/making three different dinners on some nights. You've encouraged me to get a little tougher, but at the same time let them help me when I'm planning our menu. Great advice! Wow, this is such a touchy subject at my house. My mom kept my kids while I worked up until 2007. By that point they were already used to eating whatever they want. Now they are 5 and 3 and I end up cooking/making three different dinners on some nights. You’ve encouraged me to get a little tougher, but at the same time let them help me when I’m planning our menu. Great advice!

]]> By: Somebody's Mimi http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5975 Somebody's Mimi Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:17:28 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5975 My kids had a choice... eat or don't eat. Although I only raised 2 children I always made one meal for all of us. The kids didn't have to eat everything on their plate BUT they did have to taste everything on their plate. They sometimes took the token bites and they were done, but they knew they wouldn't get anything else to eat until the next meal (no snacks). They are now grown and have children of their own... I think both families have good eating guidlines and all our grandchildren seem to be healthy, happy, and great eaters!! My kids had a choice… eat or don’t eat. Although I only raised 2 children I always made one meal for all of us. The kids didn’t have to eat everything on their plate BUT they did have to taste everything on their plate. They sometimes took the token bites and they were done, but they knew they wouldn’t get anything else to eat until the next meal (no snacks). They are now grown and have children of their own… I think both families have good eating guidlines and all our grandchildren seem to be healthy, happy, and great eaters!!

]]> By: Lawanda http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5973 Lawanda Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:17:26 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5973 I haven't read the responses, but wanted to post mine really quick :) If you are the Wicked Witch, I am worse. ;) I was raised to eat what you are given, even if you hate it. The reason being respect. It shows a LOT of disrespect towards the preparer not to eat what you have been given. It takes time and effort to cook good meals, and children need to know that their mother (or father) worked hard to get this food on their plate. I know it is over said, but there REALLY ARE children in the world who are starving. The reason most moms do not get respect is because they don't demand it, imo. this is one area where people don't seem to care that their kids are being disrespectful. I know of people who would not accept dinner invitations because their children would not eat, and they did not want their children to be disrespectful of the people who'd invited them over. (And also embarrass them as parents) What they seemed to have missed is that their kids were disrespecting THEM first! Am I the only person who sees it this way? I agree with your post 100% Children need respect too, allowing them to help plan the meals is a great way to give it to them. And most kids aren't as picky as their parents think they are. I am babysitting a little boy right now and he eats everything I give him. His mom is in awe that he eats chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies at my house. This just proves my point, imo... ;) Sorry this is long!! I will come back and read the rest in a little while and see if I have embarrassed myself by talking too much as is sometimes the case ;) I haven’t read the responses, but wanted to post mine really quick :)

If you are the Wicked Witch, I am worse. ;)

I was raised to eat what you are given, even if you hate it. The reason being respect.

It shows a LOT of disrespect towards the preparer not to eat what you have been given. It takes time and effort to cook good meals, and children need to know that their mother (or father) worked hard to get this food on their plate.

I know it is over said, but there REALLY ARE children in the world who are starving.

The reason most moms do not get respect is because they don’t demand it, imo.

this is one area where people don’t seem to care that their kids are being disrespectful. I know of people who would not accept dinner invitations because their children would not eat, and they did not want their children to be disrespectful of the people who’d invited them over. (And also embarrass them as parents)

What they seemed to have missed is that their kids were disrespecting THEM first!

Am I the only person who sees it this way?

I agree with your post 100% Children need respect too, allowing them to help plan the meals is a great way to give it to them.

And most kids aren’t as picky as their parents think they are.

I am babysitting a little boy right now and he eats everything I give him. His mom is in awe that he eats chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies at my house.

This just proves my point, imo… ;)

Sorry this is long!! I will come back and read the rest in a little while and see if I have embarrassed myself by talking too much as is sometimes the case ;)

]]> By: Katherine http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5972 Katherine Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:03:56 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5972 Thank you so much for addressing this question!! I have a VERY PICKY 4 year old, and a 2 year old who will eat almost anything. It has been very frustrating and caused much tension in the family. I have tried catering to him and also making him eat what is being served. But, I just wasn't willing to do it consistently. You have couple of rules that we are going to incorporate that will work with our recently adapted "eat what is served" stance. Thanks so much!! Thank you so much for addressing this question!! I have a VERY PICKY 4 year old, and a 2 year old who will eat almost anything. It has been very frustrating and caused much tension in the family. I have tried catering to him and also making him eat what is being served. But, I just wasn’t willing to do it consistently. You have couple of rules that we are going to incorporate that will work with our recently adapted “eat what is served” stance. Thanks so much!!

]]> By: Sherry http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5970 Sherry Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:23:34 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5970 With dd and ds, we have them try at least a bite of everything and like you we don't let them have seconds if they don't finish. With dd and ds, we have them try at least a bite of everything and like you we don’t let them have seconds if they don’t finish.

]]> By: Julie Krukemeyer http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5969 Julie Krukemeyer Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:11:57 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5969 Well said! We basically do the same thing in our house. I LOVE the idea of them not getting a favorite breakfast in the morning! I've even arranged my cabinet where the snacks come from so they know the things they are allowed for breakfast and morning snack. These are more whole grain items, nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. The pretzels and other snacky stuff are in the top of the pantry and reserved for afternoon snack. I've tried to also have a refrigerator shelf of healthy snacks, some apples, yogurt, cut up cheese, hard boiled eggs. With lots of kids (9, 8, 6 and 4 with one on the way) things get put back in the wrong place but we work through it. I want them to have choices for their snacks and breakfasts so they have to make decisions but I want them to be choosing among stuff that I know is good. Keep up the good work! Well said! We basically do the same thing in our house. I LOVE the idea of them not getting a favorite breakfast in the morning! I’ve even arranged my cabinet where the snacks come from so they know the things they are allowed for breakfast and morning snack. These are more whole grain items, nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. The pretzels and other snacky stuff are in the top of the pantry and reserved for afternoon snack. I’ve tried to also have a refrigerator shelf of healthy snacks, some apples, yogurt, cut up cheese, hard boiled eggs. With lots of kids (9, 8, 6 and 4 with one on the way) things get put back in the wrong place but we work through it. I want them to have choices for their snacks and breakfasts so they have to make decisions but I want them to be choosing among stuff that I know is good. Keep up the good work!

]]> By: sarah http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5968 sarah Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:54:49 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5968 Great ideas...I guess I have been lucky, and my kids eat pretty much everything. But we've never allowed them to be picky -- it's sort of like, "Are you hungry? Then eat. Nothing else will appear on the table magically." :) We are homeschoolers too..just found your blog...and we are ALSO doing the Dave Ramsey program. :) Great ideas…I guess I have been lucky, and my kids eat pretty much everything. But we’ve never allowed them to be picky — it’s sort of like, “Are you hungry? Then eat. Nothing else will appear on the table magically.”
:)
We are homeschoolers too..just found your blog…and we are ALSO doing the Dave Ramsey program.
:)

]]> By: Blue Castle http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5967 Blue Castle Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:05:30 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5967 I only have 2 kids, but it's still amazing how they have developed their list of likes and dislikes. We do something similar to what you do. If they don't like it and refuse to eat, we may have them eat a few bits and then they just go hungry. It's their choice and more often than not, they will eat rather than go without. :) I only have 2 kids, but it’s still amazing how they have developed their list of likes and dislikes. We do something similar to what you do. If they don’t like it and refuse to eat, we may have them eat a few bits and then they just go hungry. It’s their choice and more often than not, they will eat rather than go without. :)

]]> By: Marie http://thehappyhousewife.com/picky-picky/comment-page-1/#comment-5966 Marie Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:36:36 +0000 http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/?p=3053#comment-5966 Thanks for the advice. My 3 year old has decided that she doesn't like anything, even stuff that she once loved. Now I know that I just have to get through this time period! Thanks for the advice. My 3 year old has decided that she doesn’t like anything, even stuff that she once loved. Now I know that I just have to get through this time period!

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