Am I wrong... DD and food?

Andrewsgal · May 2009

DH worked late 4 nights last week and will work late every night this week. When he does I don't make a full dinner I just ask DD what she wants to eat. 3 out of the 4 nights last week she told me nothing, that she was not hungry. So I did not fix her anything and she never claimed to be hungry or ask for food after that. Even when I do make her a dinner of her favorite she only eats it like 5% of the time. I was talking to a friend and she went apeshit saying I should totally offer her food and basically I was a horrible mom. I don't mind offereing it, but I know if she says she is not hungry she won't eat it. WWYD?

MarchMom06 · May 2009

hmmmm. .. was she "not hungry" because she wanted to play and didn't want to be distracted by having to sit at the table? I like the dinner time routine, so I would probably make her a small plate (maybe fruit & cheese & a tiny portion of what we're having) & ask her to sit with me while I eat my dinner.

AnneUCSB · May 2009

Is she eating a lot of snacks or milk in the afternoon? It seems a bit strange that she doesn't want dinner. However, I do agree with you that there is no point in giving her dinner if she flat out refuses it. I'd just look into why she isn't hungry in the first place.

Andrewsgal · May 2009

Our going joke since DD was first on table food is that she does not eat after noon, she just never has. I really don't know why. No snacks, no milk. just water.

pookie2005 · May 2009

I will say that even if Gracie says NO to food, I'll put out a snack for her and she'll munch on it. I think she just says no because she's too "busy". I always at least offer something, just in case. If she doesn't eat it, I put it in the fridge for the next day.

KoriBrett · May 2009

Sam has been doing this lately, too. I think she just has too late of a snack at daycare. We're working on that, but she snacks after her nap, which is late, so.... gah.

We make sure she at least sits at the table with us & takes a few bites of something.

j-w · May 2009

MarchMom06:
hmmmm. .. was she "not hungry" because she wanted to play and didn't want to be distracted by having to sit at the table? I like the dinner time routine, so I would probably make her a small plate (maybe fruit & cheese & a tiny portion of what we're having) & ask her to sit with me while I eat my dinner.

Exactly this.

penguingrrl · May 2009

My daughter has been eating less and less at dinnertime and just eating a huge breakfast to make up for it. I also babysat for a little boy who might eat as much as 3-4 bites of dinner before he was done. I think it's pretty common for toddlers to not be hungry in the evening. Honestly, we shouldn't be eating our largest meal at that time of day either, since you eat for energy and won't be burning that off while sleeping. Follow her cues. If she's not hungry and doesn't ask for something later, I wouldn't force food on her. She'll eat if and when she's hungry. Maybe make sure she has some veggies as her snack to get the nutrients in her..

4Speedy · May 2009

My DD is just like yours--she does the majority of her eating by noon and always has. She usually has cut up fruit or veggies for an afternoon snack. She's getting everything she needs so I never sweat it when her dinner consists of 3-4 bites about 85% of the time.

A nurse once told me, "children don't starve to death quietly in America," meaning if your child needs more nutrition, she'd let you know.

hopefulmom · May 2009

We have a dinnertime every night whether Daddy is there or not. I always have to make dinner anyway (my DH will be home sometime...even if it is late he will want to eat since he never eats lunch). We sit at the table and we eat dinner. I don't ask if they are hungry or not. I figure if it has been 6 hours since lunch they ARE hungry (how can they possibly not be). My kids don't get snacks though.

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