Over researched?
There are two things in which we argue with Andrew the most.
1. Television. He would watch TV all day if I would let him. Everyday it's the same question: "Can I watch . . . " and everyday it's the same answer, "No, you've already watched your show for the day." And everyday it's the same response: "oooooh!!!!"- as he throws himself on the couch, floor, or any nearby object. "You're the meanest parent!" Sometimes I wonder whether if it's worth my struggles to be strict about TV. However, I know what the research says, I know it's better for him to read, play outside, and be creative, but sometimes . . .
2. Eating. This is by far our biggest, longest running struggle with Andrew. It's not only a struggle between us and Andrew, it's a struggle between Doug and I. Looking back, I should not be surprised. I've never had to worry about him eating things he shouldn't- he hasn't. Alexa on the other hand . . . well she's already tried to eat sweet gum balls, leaves, and a fair amount of dirt.
The current research is to not force your child to eat- otherwise you're teaching them to have bad eating habits. So I have up until this point in Andrew's life never forced him to eat anything. This is where Doug and I have our struggles. Doug feels like I should force him to sit at the table and eat. I am afraid that the one time I do that, I will create an immediately obese child. Ok- not really, but . . .
I am sure you see where this is going. Andrew eats NOTHING. Every now and then he will surprise us and actually finish a plate of dinner, but for the most part he eats hardly nothing. In my attempts to get him to eat something- anything- I let him eat a fair amout of over processed, over sugared foods. So, by not forcing him to eat, I let him eat garbage which will make him obese anyway. Either way, I am losing.
He's always trumping me on the food thing too. If I serve something he doesn't like, he won't eat. He will go hungry all day- I am not exaggerating either.
Hopefully, we are trumping him, starting today, we're employing bribery. He has to eat 3 servings of veggies a day, try something new everyday, and eat an agreed upon amount- if he does that he gets a $10 toy of his choice on Saturday. I am a desperate woman, what can I say?
1. Television. He would watch TV all day if I would let him. Everyday it's the same question: "Can I watch . . . " and everyday it's the same answer, "No, you've already watched your show for the day." And everyday it's the same response: "oooooh!!!!"- as he throws himself on the couch, floor, or any nearby object. "You're the meanest parent!" Sometimes I wonder whether if it's worth my struggles to be strict about TV. However, I know what the research says, I know it's better for him to read, play outside, and be creative, but sometimes . . .
2. Eating. This is by far our biggest, longest running struggle with Andrew. It's not only a struggle between us and Andrew, it's a struggle between Doug and I. Looking back, I should not be surprised. I've never had to worry about him eating things he shouldn't- he hasn't. Alexa on the other hand . . . well she's already tried to eat sweet gum balls, leaves, and a fair amount of dirt.
The current research is to not force your child to eat- otherwise you're teaching them to have bad eating habits. So I have up until this point in Andrew's life never forced him to eat anything. This is where Doug and I have our struggles. Doug feels like I should force him to sit at the table and eat. I am afraid that the one time I do that, I will create an immediately obese child. Ok- not really, but . . .
I am sure you see where this is going. Andrew eats NOTHING. Every now and then he will surprise us and actually finish a plate of dinner, but for the most part he eats hardly nothing. In my attempts to get him to eat something- anything- I let him eat a fair amout of over processed, over sugared foods. So, by not forcing him to eat, I let him eat garbage which will make him obese anyway. Either way, I am losing.
He's always trumping me on the food thing too. If I serve something he doesn't like, he won't eat. He will go hungry all day- I am not exaggerating either.
Hopefully, we are trumping him, starting today, we're employing bribery. He has to eat 3 servings of veggies a day, try something new everyday, and eat an agreed upon amount- if he does that he gets a $10 toy of his choice on Saturday. I am a desperate woman, what can I say?
I take it that the darling picture of a smiling Andrew was taken when he was getting some of the over-processed, sugar-coated food he so loves. I guess Grammy and Poppy don't help by giving him bags of cheese doodles every time we see him, huh?
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Hah! Day 1 of bribery. He tried strawberries and said- "oh, these are good!" And he ate a healthy lunch!!!!
ReplyDeleteFor the record- Andrew used to buckets of strawberries- when he was younger. Now he eats applesauce- exclusively.
Worst case scenario he ends up like a student of mine who's parents didn't force him to eat or try new things and he literally only eats: popcorn (his favorite), plain or fried chicken, and pretty much anything else fried. He doesn't eat any condiments, any other meats, fruit or veggies (unless you count french fries). I don't know how he doesn't have scurvy. He made an art project about all the food he doesn't eat and we talked him into to trying one of the strawberries. He said it was ok if it had chocolate on it. We were excited about it anyway.
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