Like it used to be only 2 biscuits with a glass of milk. We were able to eat our breakfast. But my boys eat about 3 - 4, sometimes even more. They refuse to eat anything after that. Maybe our stressed lifestyle makes us more hesitant to take efforts to accept otherwise? But whatever, I am exhausted end of it, to even try making them understand they should stop with some and have space for their breakfast.
The thought stayed back and I was wondering how will one combat these situations? With my 8 year old daughter, it has always been a case of picky eating habits. So even if she ate just biscuits, I was so relieved. But my 3 year old boys just refuse to listen to anything. I grew up adhering to the fact that even if there were 10 apples, I got to share with everybody at home. So I clean, chop and share with the family the 2 -3 apples that I cut. Now nobody wants to share!
I always believe being very measured teaches kids to share, to know how much one should take in and be receptive to all foods as they are not satiated.
Do you have the problem. How do you handle it with your child? I would welcome suggestions and ideas on improving children's habits!
aquadaze says
Srivalli, I have the same prob with my daughter. She's such a picky eater that there are days when, like you said, if she eats just biscuits, I am happy. I normally scrape the cream off, at least to that extent, my guilt is lesser. These days, I use the things she likes as an incentive. Somedays, it works!
Happy cook says
I agree to when we were kids we too had measure portions. As you said the apples were sliced and mom gave us equal portions or what ever snack it was.
But now when i think about it, i think maybe it was tougher times compared to now. I am sure my mom would not have been afford if her three kids ate 6 biscuts a day, she might have though 2 is good and the rest they can have for later days.
But i must say i don't measure the biscuits or snacks for shyama, but i have never indulged her with too much saying it is not good, you have to eat normal food too.
But then there are times i just let her do too..........
Raaga says
No kids yet... but to this day, I cannot eat a chocolate bar entirely at one go... we were given things measured out... and yes, we always shared. We must ask our mums how they did it 🙂
Miri says
One of the few things I have managed to keep on top of....was a little easier because from the time she was two and had started meeting other kids and going on playdates, I was fortunate to have other mothers who were on the same wavelength as me. So for the longest time the only snacks these kids ever saw was fruit, popcorn, home baked goodies and a limited selection of biscuits.
No chips/cream biscuits/pastries/chocolates just lying around at home.
So at 4, she now has some of these snacks, but knows that snacks are available in limited quantities. We have managed to remain firm on that when she was much younger.
Cheese balls are her favorite and she has it every time we go on a picnic or a trip or when she has a friend over for a sleepover. Thats about every two months or so.
It helps that school has started talking about junk food vs healthy food.
But I totally understand that it would have been much more difficult not to give in if she was a picky eater!
Miri
A 2 Z Vegetarian Cuisine says
Srivalli, my daughter is also very picky and i am trying different ways to make her eat. My son is just the opposite of her. I don't know how old your sons are but once they are little bigger i am sure you can explain them. I keep just only of couple of cookies in his reach and hide the rest. I keep out healthy and yummy things like peanuts, raisins, dates, fruits, nuts, sundal etc in a bowl within reach and in sight and naturally if they don't get the junk and all these things are in sight they will automatically eat them. Lot of times cookies are given in the end as soon as he finishes the rest of the things. If i don't want them eat anything, i don't buy it.
Mallugirl says
we are not our parents. our needs, schedules, stresses are all different.. so we have to figure out our own way of handling our kids. just try to see what u want them to remember u as...maybe that will help.
Srivalli says
Thank you everybody for sharing your thoughts. Will surely help me better!
Aquadaze, That is nice to know..luckily my boys are yet to shift to cream biscuits!..
What you say is right F, I think generally in olden days we weren't spending much on these items. But good to know about Shymas eating habits
Raaga, you are right, though it's been ages since I ate a chocolate bar, but don't think I can eat by myself...but you know I did ask my mom, she says she doesn't remember anything else other than that we just listen to her. Now that brings back to the question, why kids these days don't listen to what we say!!!
Miri, that sounds fabulous. How I wish I had such mothers close by!..:) So glad to know your lil one eats such homemade stuffs...
Sadana, my boys are 3 now. As you say my daughter was very fussy when she was their age. Now even she is. Boys are little better..But they eat only in the school, on days when they are home, like on Sunday their regular food habits go for a toss. I will have to curb the need to buy and stock such things..
Shaheen, I totally agree on that! Infact my parents agree to that their lives were much simpler. You know when I talk about this to mom, she says we were not aggressive for her to spank us or even scold. But then we were naughty, no doubt.
Then again when I see the way kids behave, I wish they would be like how we were at their age. But then again I don't want to impose our upbringing on them. They will naturally be the children of the time!
whatever by the time I crack this enigma, kids would have luckily grown up..:))
PJ says
Srivalli,I can see a lot of things in common when I read the comments and your replies.
I too 'measure' snacks for my lil angel[She is one and a half years old].When she asks for more,I have a standard reply ready for her-'We can go shopping tomorrow to buy ur snacks'.This seems to satisfy her.
Only recently she 'discovered' the cream biscuit.Like any other kid she had the cream first and then I repeatedly told her to finish off the biscuit so that she can have the other one and nowadays she eats it fully.
When she asks for more veggies and fruits I happily give her another helping and luckily she loves these two in any form.
I too keep a few snacks visible and hide the rest.
She seems to follow me a lot so it helps with the food choices as well as I don't eat too many junk foods.
She does get cranky once in a while and gets an extra cookie or a piece of cake,but I feel that's ok coz on other day she listens to me and its like a mini treat for her 'obedience' 🙂
Spice says
hi srivalli,
good topic...I don't remember us being picky while growing...but yes now-a-days it's a very common thing....my DD is little picky as any other 7-8 yr. old but as far snacks & choc. goes she knows her limitations.Once when she was 4 yr. old someone gave her 6-7 candies, so she kept one & gave one to everybody in the room all adults were surprised why she gave these back.....she says i can't eat more then one in a day....& I got to hear a comment that u are very "strick"....i felt bad but till date she knows only one candy/choc. in a day but now if she has more she saves them for later...ha..
one thing i do whenever she wants chips I ask her what would she like it with applesauce/apple/orange....so she eats her fruit also & then small pack of chips doesn't hurt.(I don't bring large packs).On cookies agree with u more then 2 means no dinner (they don't have big tummies.