what do you do to keep them eating?

it's getting ridiculous in my house. the girls need CONSTANT distraction during meal time to keep eating. i do not want to get into the habit of giving them too many options during meal time. what i serve is what we're eating, no ifs, ands or buts. but it's like a negotiation every time to get them to open their mouths. "no i won't open my mouth till you give me that spatula to play with. nope not this one, THAT one..." and i KNOW i look like a lunatic at times. i'll sing a song, while marching back and forth, while balancing a tupperware container on my head. i'm not kidding! i dance for them, give them wooden spoons to drum on their trays with, give them magnets, pictures, christmas cards, crayons... all while trying to keep them eating. and when they get bored with whatever i gave them, they throw it aside and look at me like, "what's next?" i'm starting to run out of things, tho lol
does anyone else have to do this? and what do you do to keep them distracted enough?

 

Dance monkey dance!! Sorry thats what I was thinking while reading your post. I've been there... I've done it, but I stopped. Meal time is for eating not playing. No toys on their trays, no playing with their plates (if they play, I take them away and put the food on their trays). We do listen to music while eating, but thats the only distraction. When they stop eating, I take the food away. They usually have one good meal a day and the rest is hit or miss. I have been known to give in to their cheerio demands though... or some extra milk. But I've stopped dancing for them... I think the neighbors must think I'm nuts!

 

I usually give them food to feed themselves, so that keeps them busy. If I don't have too much and I'm trying to get a jar of baby food in them I'll do everything that you mentioned. They don't want me feeding them. Can you put food on their try and then try to shove the spoon in? That's what I do!

 

I am a total enabler! I just keep giving them something till they eat! They get like 4 different things at each mealso once they stop eating whatever, I move to the next thing.

I also still give them something spoon fed (oatmeal, yogurt, soup, mashed veggies) by me so I make sure they ate something, and I also pop food into their mouths.

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Dec 30 2008, 04:29 PM) [snapback]1126301[/snapback]
Meal time is for eating not playing. No toys on their trays, no playing with their plates.


This is pretty much how we handle it as well. We've never let them have toys or distractions at the table, or even in the kitchen area. If they start playing or goofing off, the meal is over and we wash their hands and they have to stay out of the kitchen after that. Usually the threat of having to leave the family at the table is enough to stop their goofing off.

 

I don't think I ever tried to entertain them during meals. If anything, I think that would have distracted them so they wouldn't eat.... But I did always let them feed themselves whenever possible. Sarah would actually spoon-feed herself at that age (messily, but enthusiastically). Amy wanted me to feed her things like yogurt & applesauce, but would feed herself anything she could pick up with her fingers.

When they lost interest in eating, I got them down. I didn't want to get in the habit of being responsible for whether they ate or not. I just recited the mantra from "Child of Mine": "My job is to provide a variety of healthy [usually ], interesting foods -- their job is to decide what and how much to eat."

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Dec 30 2008, 08:50 AM) [snapback]1126336[/snapback]
I don't think I ever tried to entertain them during meals. If anything, I think that would have distracted them so they wouldn't eat.... But I did always let them feed themselves whenever possible. Sarah would actually spoon-feed herself at that age (messily, but enthusiastically). Amy wanted me to feed her things like yogurt & applesauce, but would feed herself anything she could pick up with her fingers.

When they lost interest in eating, I got them down. I didn't want to get in the habit of being responsible for whether they ate or not. I just recited the mantra from "Child of Mine": "My job is to provide a variety of healthy [usually ], interesting foods -- their job is to decide what and how much to eat."


Exactly what she said! I do that with all of my children... even the teenager !

I do have to say though that I found your (the OP) post highly entertaining! The vivid mental picture you painted still has me laughing :lol: !

Donna

 

Try cutting out snacks and making sure they are really hungry before you feed them. Become busy - and don't entertain them (as funny as that image is!). They don't sound hungry to me.

 

I cannot help - sorry. I am a horrible mealtime mother. Mine refuse to eat in their highchairs and practically jump out of them until we let them sit in our laps and eat. B-fast and lunch is fine in their highchairs, but dinnertime is when you will find them on our laps - opps! Bad mom, bad mom!

 

I use the TV as a crutch (usually Signing Time or a Baby Einstein), and spoon feed nearly everything while they're distracted. I know it's all wrong, but it's working for now, and meal times are stress-free.

When they start refusing the spoon, I put finger foods on their trays, one at a time. When those start getting tossed on the ground, I offer fruit to finish up the meal, and then we're done.

Believe me, I went through many tricks to get my older one to eat! Nothing ever worked as well as the TV. It did start an evil habit, though....just so you know. <_<