How to get a child to eat dinner nicely

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Parenting our children -> Preschoolers

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Tue, Jan 10 2006, 1:44 pm

Anyone have ideas to get a 3 yr old to eat dinner semi-nicely? Meaning, without standing on her chair, waving a fork, banging a spoon, kicking the table, or kicking my feet? Is that too much to ask? It happens almost every night.

red sea

Tue, Jan 10 2006, 1:48 pm

As long as it is calm I ignore the undesired behaviors except for shabbos - I tell my kids that at the fancy table we must have fancy table manners or they can go sit by themselves in the kitchen. Little kids will need their space to move around and fidget, but if they get too rowdy- dinner is just like any other time discipline-wise.

Meema2Kids

Tue, Jan 10 2006, 2:38 pm

We've been working on this with my almost 5 year old. It has helped to focus on one behavior at a time, eg fork belongs in the mouth or on the plate.

mother48

Tue, Jan 10 2006, 2:45 pm

I find a good way to get my kids to eat is to read them a story. also, my kids sit on stools in the kitchen, which really helps...cuz they can't move so much:)

tanaz

Wed, Jan 11 2006, 10:49 pm

If it's any comfort, I have the same exact problem! Children just can't sit for so long. Their stomach gets full so quickly and then they just don't want to sit. I tell them that they'll only get dessert, or play a favorite game together, if they eat nicely. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

mother48

Thu, Jan 12 2006, 11:10 am

a sometime will let my kids eat in shifts. it's a real pain for me, cuz I want to just be finished, but that's parenting.

if I see they're not eating, s/t I'll let them play, let the food settle, and then feed them the rest of thier supper.

ektsm

Sat, Feb 11 2006, 6:59 pm

I wouldn't fight with your kdis on eating dinner. I think you should feed them healthy food when they are hungary. Maybe they are not hungary at dinner time. I would not however, let them eat nosh all day. Just make sure you are training them so they are able to make good food choices. It's really important to pick your battles with kids.

Tefila

Sat, Feb 11 2006, 9:12 pm

Same here once they start playing it means they have finised eating what they could, aren't hungry and need to leave the table Confused

mother48

Sun, Feb 12 2006, 1:10 pm

as the saying goes: there's always breakfast!!

raizy

Sun, Feb 12 2006, 11:42 pm

I laughed when I read this thread . do u perhaps have a hiddin camera in my house. usally when they are still hungry mode. they eat nicely. but after they have eatan a bit. they start to stand on chairs. start to fight with brothers and sis. etc.

LubavitchLeah

Sun, Feb 12 2006, 11:51 pm

Sounds familiar to me. My Mendel will not sit for a minute at the dinner table UNLESS he is banging the cutlery against the table, throwing food onto the floor, or jumping on his chair...mind you giving him kiddush wine on Shabbos works wonders (but thatsa whole nother problem, I posted in another thread, he downs this like chocky milk:) Basicaly we all sit down for a meal together and when he jumps up restlessly, gets down to run around, I give up, let him play while at least we can eat, otherwise the whole family cannot eat in peace if we are constantly begging him to sit down. When however the meal is pizza (which he loves) he definitly sits alot longer.

Page 1 of 1