We've never had FOOD issues till now

The twins have been great eaters/cup drinkers and we've never had a problem.

As we approach 17 months they are just STARVING or so they make you think. So I hurry around trying to get them something just in time for them to take 1 bite of whatever it was and throw it on the floor.

Then they sign and tell you they are all done. So the meal is over and you get them out of their chairs. Then I go to sit down and eat my dinner and what do you know, they are starving again. They will stand next to me and eat every single bite I give them even though they were just served the same thing on their own trays! We do family dinners as well but that turns into them throwing everything on the floor and then them screaming at DH and I while we try to eat. telling them no, making them sit at the table without trays etc doesnt work.

Another thing they do is anytime I am in the kitchen doing anything, they are hungry. Even when they are not. If they see me cutting fruits/veggies for later my DS will throw himself on the floor screaming and crying because he wants a piece. then you give it to him and he doesnt eat it! Ive tried denying him and he screams, Ive tried crouching down to his level and asking hiim to wait one minute, or holding my finger over his lips and saying "sssshhhh!" Ive tried taking them back to the living room setting them up with a new activity and then returning to the kitchen (we have open lr/dr area) and to no avail he is there freaking out.

Im not sure how much more of this I can take. Im half tempted to start doing meals by the clock and thats it. Going by thier whining, and signing to eat everytime they see anything resembling food is beginning to be a lot of work and wasted food for us.

Help! anyone else have this? suggesetions? support? something!

 

Are you having your LO's use utensils? My girls went through a phase like that, don't remember exactly when, but it all but disappeared when I gave them spoons and forks. Are you sitting with them while they eat? I am an on demand type of mom, if my kids act hungry or tell me they are hungry, I feed them even if it's not their normal eating time.

 

We do utensils about 50% of the time but lately they have become hair combs, swords and drumstricks LOL Ive even braved bowls and plates but they flip them over and then throw them on the floor.
We do sit together 90% of the time. Im frustrated that they are more or less snacking all day long and arent really eating good solid meals. I feed them healthy snacks but its hard to feed them something like hotdogs or chicken as a "snack". Im glad it was a phase for your girls. I hope its a short lived one for us!

 

Mine went through this phase too. It was frustrating to say the least. We did what Krystyn did and offered utensils and not like mine used them for their purpose but for some reason, having them got them to eat more. We will also give them books or something else to distract them when they eat. I think toddlers go through a snacking and grazing phase and at times it's more interesting what Mommy and Daddy eat versus what they get. I hope yours get through this phase quickly!

 

I think this is all normal behavior. Dr Sears discusses that toddlers need to have fly by meals.. where they eat and run and eat some more and run. It works great in our house. It's really hard for them to sit still at this age.

We purchased a Learning Tower at 16 mos or so. It is a stand that sits next to the counter so kids can watch what you're doing in the kitchen without the fear of falling off a chair, etc. This was a godsend in our kitchen at this age and is still so. I got my kids to taste so many foods while i was cooking dinner. it really gave me more time to acutally cook cause they were intrigued with the process and wanted to participate.

My kids would try and like all kinds of things, raw onion, garlic, lemon, carrots, celery, you name it. It's awesome to get them interested in trying new foods. I highly recommend it and you will use it for years.

My kids hardly sit at the table now for meals, I am not strict with them about sitting still. it's my understanding that kids btw 1 and 2 need lots of food to sustain their energy and it's best if it comes in numerous meals throughout the day. that's what worked for us.

good luck

T

 

We've gone through (are going through) this, too. It just seems to be part of the age. I try to offer small snacks during the day to make up for a poorly eaten lunch or breakfast. Their pedi told me that they like to see kids this age eat at least 1 good meal/day. We usually get at least 1 good meal in them.

 

We went through this to some extent and it is frustrating! Just keep in mind that it is a phase and unless they do this all day long for days on end, they won't starve and they will be fine. Yes, it's annoying... but it's mostly just them trying to assert some control in a situation where they feel like they may have some. The pre-2's and 2's are all about control - they crave it, and when we can let them have some sense of control (even if it's asserted completely illogically) in a safe/harmless manner, I tend to let them have it. :hug:

 

mine were the same, they still ask for the vegetable pieces... but really eat them... i can say now they can as they have all teeth,
my DD used to come into the kitchen and ask for the snacks by pointing in the direction, and if i didn't give she always started crying until her wish is not complete. they used to ask for food or snacks all day. i was sick of it as all the things ended in the floor, so i decided i was not going to waste the food.
i shifted all the things from their usual place and put some same empty containers. when she asked i told her that it is finished showing her the empty jar.
you may be thinking i was cruel as maybe she was hungry and i didn't give her anything to eat.
for a while it seem like this but you know your child the best. you know when he/she is hungry and when she is asking just for asking for something.
all my scheme did well and now they eat properly at a time, so don't ask for food all day long. but a good eating habit is developed among them.

 

Just another example of me being a mean mom... We eat more or less by the clock. Breakfast at 7, snacks at 9, lunch at 11, snacks after naps (generally around 3pm), dinner at 6pm. The only time my kids ask for food of any kind is when I am eating something and it's not meal time (like a cookie after dinner), or just a few minutes before a regular time. And if they ask I do my best to move it forward and give it to them then instead of later.

My kids are also great eaters. While they don't always clean their plates, it isn't uncommon for them to polish off seconds of everything before they declare "All done." Though like everyone we once in a while have bouts of food throwing - in which they get one warning and then mealtime is over if they continue. They get nothing else until the next regularly scheduled time. We have also found that if/when they get to the food throwing point they generally aren't hungry. Thus it isn't worth the effort to try to get them to stop and eat. They are also old enough to understand cause and effect (you throw food, mealtime is over). If they want to eat, they won't throw the food (though it takes a few times, and reminders for them to really get it).

Honestly I believe drive by snacking causes mealtime issues because they aren't really hungry at mealtimes because they filled up on so many snacks. But take it all with a grain of salt, that's just my $0.02 and everyone has different children, different experiences, different opinions.

When my kids first learned to ask for things they would ask for them constantly probably because we cheered and rewarded them with what they asked for and it was the first tangible step in communication so they kept asking for it even if they didn't really want it. We went through a phase where we shifted giving them the object of their communcation to recognizing that they correclty identified it (like when they signed eat bananas and said "nana" everytime they saw them - "Yes, that's a banana. Good job! We eat bananas for breakfast. Who else eats bananas? Monkeys eat bananas, don't they? Are you a monkey? What does a monkey say? Can you show me the monkey? Which acknowledged the communciation, praised it, and then redirected it. If they REALLY wanted the banana they would come back to it. If not, it was forgotten in search of monkeys.

Good luck to whatever you decide. I know it can be really frustrating. Here's to hoping it is a quickly passing phase.

 

I agree with the pp that their isn't "one way" to do things. It really is based on your family lifestyle, children's weights, etc. We are more routine in our house which is good for kids and parents here. We stick to more timed meals but I have been known to eat MY wheat-bix in the livingroom and two girls come running for food... but when I put them in the highchairs the same food is a NO -WAY.... I have seen with my two that at some stages one twin is more fingerfood while the other one did better when fed with a spoon some food after her attempt at fingerfoods. It is only now (18 months of age) that I feel like my two are starting fully "get it" when I dont' want them to put food on the floor. I gave up correcting them before now, because they really just looked at me like they had NO clue.

If you are interested in a good read -- the book "child of mine -feeding with love and good sense" is a great book. I rented it from the library and now wish I owned it. It was recommended on here.

Heather

 

I loved all the posts, and suggestions! I have lots to "look forward to"!! thanks ladies.

I loved the part about redirecting the "banana"... that was a great suggestion, we are starting signing, and they are doing little things, which I know they don't quite know what they are doing, but its nice to figure out how to reward them.

 

orginal poster here!
its nice to know we are not alone. We've temporarily dropped snacks a bit and that seems to have greatly improved their main meals. Im also giving smaller portions. I think yesterday was the first lunch they cleaned their trays and there wasnt a spec on the floor!

Thanks for the support & book recommendations! Utensils are going better as well

 

:yahoo: Good to hear!