Pride, my friends, it cometh before the next 4 kids.

It took some doing, but I got a handle on the whining thing with kid 2. I took her into my lap one day and told her I was very sorry I had let her talk in a whining voice. I said that I had been wrong, and I asked her to forgive me. Then I told her that I would only respond when she used her big girl voice, and asked her to show me how her big girl voice sounded. “Like this, Mom?” she said. “Oh, that’s beautiful!” I told her. From that day to this (3 more kids!), I haven’t responded to whining. The older kids will actually coach the younger ones on how best to get my attention when I’m whistling away at the sink, ignoring the whining pleas of a toddler or preschooler. “Mom doesn’t hear whining,” they remind the offender, “talk big!”

Regarding picky eaters: I serve food 5 times a day. There are three meals and two snacks. They are planned in advance with preferences and nutrition in mind, and the menu is on the fridge, so no one (especially me!!) has to wonder what we’re having to eat. I make a variety of foods, and welcome input and requests when I’m planning the menu.

When the kids are little, they may ask for a “no, thank you” serving, meaning “I’m not so sure about this, but I’ll try a bite”. They will receive heaps of praise (and perhaps a little extra dessert) if they will “be a taster”, giving them the option to put a bite in their mouths, chew it 3 times, then choose to swallow or dispose of it discreetly in a napkin. If something looks intriguing and they don’t have to commit to a whole serving, many times they’re willing to give it a taste.

Also, people under the age of 10 have their plates prepared by an older person to cut down on food waste. We always put a “no, thank you” serving (1-2 bites) of any new or less favored foods on the younger kids’ plates. To get seconds of a favorite (mac & cheese!!), the child must eat everything originally served on his plate. It just doesn’t bother me for one of my kids to leave the table hungry. We eat 5 times a day!! They won’t be hungry for long. If they are, it’s their own fault.

I’ve had children (even young adults!!) eat in our home who would ask “what else do you have?” or say “I don’t like pork chops” and even “I hate casseroles.” I can only hope that’s not something one of my children would do.

/hijack

As for meals, the boys have to eat one bite of everything served; of course, they can have more. If you complain, you get a bigger scoop. I really only have one picky eater, and with him it is mosty veggies. I try not to serve meals he doesn’t like for two days in a row. I try to make sure that there is a meal he really enjoys before and after the meal he doesn’t like. That way I know he will eat well most of the time.

Of course, that will soon change and I guess he’ll eventually share with the new baby until she gets older.

With food I will not ever make them something different to eat. I would hate if I did this at home and then they went to someone’s house and was rude and wanted to eat something different. They eat what they are have in front of them. Always a healthy meal with veggies. Ok… not always but most of the time. They learn what types of foods are good for them this way. If they do not eat then they have to wait til the next meal. I used to fight with them at every meal about their food, but that wasn’t working for us at all. Now I don’t stress about if they eat or not. It isn’t that big a deal. And they will eat when they are really hungry. And a few hidden veggies in the food help to get the vitamins into them that they need even if they refuse to eat their veggies.