you wanna eat at 9:30 pm, really?

[Nooknookmom]

ah crud lost my post. here goes again.

koi wants nothin to do with dinner. up and down from the table wont eat and loves to see me get irritated. then "i" don't get to enjoy eating b/c i'm frazzled.

come 9:30 she says "i'm starving, my tummy growlin'".

ugh, by then, i just usually have the kitchen clean and floors mopped. if i don't feed her i feel like the wicked witch.

advice?

[2Carol]

One suggestion is to let her snack - on the most nutritious part of the meal as though it's a special treat. Leave her favorite parts for the "meal".

Sort of like appetizers - so she nibbles on little hunks of say pork chop and brocolli while you get the table set. Amazing how much food will disappear if it seems like it's "forbidden" Then when dinner comes and all that's left on her plate are her favorite mashed potatoes (or whatever) she's likely to finish them or at least make some progress.

Other ideas
- limit eating of any kind (including any beverage besides water) for the 2 hours prior to meal
- figure out how to split the "dinner" into two snacks - one earlier than dinner and one at dinner - same amount eaten just divided up.
- earlier bedtime
- change when the previous meal occurs and move it earlier in the day (even a 1/2 hour might help)
- is this a way to delay bedtime? Sort of like the endless requests for a drink of water or to go to the bathroom?

Nope I wouldn't re-open the kitchen. If she were ill that would be a different story, but a bad habit, nope.

[klwa]

I leave the kids plates on the table ready to go until they go to bed so if they decide to eat later, they can just go get something. But, they have to eat what's on their plate from supper. (Of course, our little ones are in bed early, so it's not that long of a time after supper. 1-2 hours usually.)

[KrisM]

I leave the kids plates on the table ready to go until they go to bed so if they decide to eat later, they can just go get something. But, they have to eat what's on their plate from supper. (Of course, our little ones are in bed early, so it's not that long of a time after supper. 1-2 hours usually.)

I do that, too. I will reheat, of course, but if they're hungry hours after dinner, they get to eat dinner.

[hillview]

I leave the kids plates on the table ready to go until they go to bed so if they decide to eat later, they can just go get something. But, they have to eat what's on their plate from supper. (Of course, our little ones are in bed early, so it's not that long of a time after supper. 1-2 hours usually.)

This is brilliant!
/hillary

[Nooknookmom]

Good ideas-I esp like the leaving the plate out and only offering that to eat.

For instance, it's almost 3:30 and she's hungry, which means at dinner she won't be.

Ahhh, I'm like a 24 hour diner, lol.

I'm sure your tricks will come in handy - thanks!