Over the past several months we've noticed a disturbing trend. Clara would eat her breakfast and lunch (at home, but even better at school), but then refuse to eat her dinner, wanting only "snack" type foods. Historically, because we've been exhausted with a newborn with very little energy left to devote to the meal time battle, we've let it slide and she could have string cheese and gold fish for every dinner if she wanted ... cringe worthy, I know.
However, all good things must come to end (like the pacifier, poor tot), as dinners of gold fish must as well. I do sympathize, really I do.
Lately if she TRIES her dinner (two real bites which have been chewed and swallowed), she can then have yogurt or a cheese stick instead. If she actually EATS her dinner (meaning an honest effort, not necessarily finishing it) she can have dessert after (pudding, popsicle or small ice cream). This system has been brutal but it's finally paying off!
Tonight Clara refused to eat the dinner that I made (homemade baked chicken fingers with steamed veggies), so she went 2 hours asking us for other things to eat, but we did not give in. It was try dinner or nothing until right before bed (when we always give her applesauce, because she usually needs a snack by then anyway, even if she eats her dinner).
She came back and tried her chicken!!
I knew this new policy would work eventually!! Hallelujah!
And then baby girl finished off her dinner with two yogurts, a string cheese and some applesauce :) But she tried her dinner!!
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