Hi

My 2 yrs and 8 months old DD has gone on strike from eating herself. She wants me to feed her!! This has been going on for quite some time, and I've always ended up giving in to her and doing it. Now it is a different story though, because my twins have started solids and it's just too hard at brekky and dinner times to have to try and spoon feed 3 kids!!

She is quite capable of doing it herself as she was before the twins came along, but she is doing it for attention I think.

I have tried bribes, I have tried saying no TV till you finish your meal, taking the meal away and putting it in the bin (which brings great cries of NO!)

I dunno, plum out of idea's. I don't want her to go hungry, but I just can't feed her all the time. It's ridiculous!

Cheers
Laus

I have read on other parents idea on this sort of thig. She just told her child that if she wanted to be trated like a baby then she could only do baby things... removeing toys for her age group, only allowed to watch things that a baby would watch etc. It worked for them.... me, I only have one, so i just feed her to quicken up dinner DD has ben doing this for a month or so with dinner only though.

we do similar if DD1 2yrs 7mths wants to use a dummy (which is DD2's) i tell her she wont be able to do craft or cooking etc later if she wants to play 'baby'.

A hungry child will eat - it'll only last one mealtime and she'll realise if she wants to eat, she should feed herself. That's what I would do. Good luck.

My 2yr8month old daughter is doing the same thing at the moment. They are buggers aren't they. I have been using reverse psychology at the moment which is working a treat - I say "Ok, I'll eat your dinner then" and go for her bowl and then she grabs the spoon and has a helping... its a struggle sometimes but is working at the moment so maybe you can try that?

What about buying a new plate or bowl for her along with new fun toddler cutlery.

Just a thought

Try preparing food that doesnt require the use of a spoon at all....

Toast for breaky
Fruit on a stick
Sandwiches
Chunky pasta, like penne or bow ties
frozen peas and corn, as in straight from the freezer
meat like lamb cutlets, chicken on a stick, beef kebabs etc

Avoid anything that needs a spoon, for a while.
Hopefully it will give you time to feed the others then

TBH, I would tell her to either feed herself or go hungry, and stick to it. Not nastily, just in a 'matter of fact' tone. She'll soon be feeding herself!

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Do you mean eat them frozen? cause the packet actually says that you shouldn't eat before cooked.

Oh well.....my DD used to eat them like that, for ages, and she survived.

My kids love to do this. Personally I can't think of anything worse. They thaw very quickly at any rate. Can't say I've ever noticed that you aren't supposed to eat them printed on the packet.

As for the OP - you've had some very good suggestions. I like the one about taking away all her big girl things and just letting her use baby things but I'd also be doing the letting her go hungry. Missing a meal or two isn't going to starve a child. And hungry kids will soon eat.

Don't get me wrong - mine used to eat them too but then one day I read on the packet (by accident)do not eat until cooked or something along those lines.

I had the problem of my son not eating anything but a few select foods So i went to his doc and asked what to do. She said plate up whatever you want them to eat, give it too them, if they dont eat it, then too bad. She said its very normal for kids to go up to a few days before they will give in and eat! They wont starve themselves, and your not been a bad parent and starving them, cause your offering all the good foods, its up to them to eat it