Flustered ain’t the word! Just when you thought you had this parenting thing figured out, something else that was never an issue pops up and leaves you looking lost. How the heck do I get my toddler to eat dinner? Inquiring minds (my mind people) want to know.

One day he comes home with this whole independent swag giving out instructions and offering opinions. “I don’t like this, mommy” and “More Milk” are his new favorite lines these days. Excuse me little guy, who the heck asked what you liked? And saying please is the least he could do after yelling more this and more that.

How I was raised was you eat what your parents cook, point blank PERIODT! And if you don’t eat it, so be it. Parents felt no remorse. I must admit us new generation moms are much more flexible when it comes to adjusting dinner options for our little ones. We tend to cater to their wants a lot more then our parents looked out for ours. Needs were priority. You need a meal, you sit at the table and eat these greens, fried fish and couscous. That was my moms favorite thing to cook & by the way I hate couscous now and hated it then.

So it’s been about three weeks since he’s started expressing his dislike for things he usually enjoyed to eat. My kid loved bright colored foods, veggies such as carrots, squash and asparagus; fruits including strawberries and oranges. Finger foods were always a hit, french fries, cheese sticks, fish sticks, and chicken nuggets. Guess what yall? He’s no longer feeling it! He DON’T like it and he spits it out after every bite.

Last night we had the “why we eat dinner talk”. As he sat there at the dinner table spitting out Mac n cheese, we locked eyes and I told him that he has to eat dinner if he wants to be big and strong! The ball drop was me telling him basketball players eat dinner. His eyes got bright and wide and now he was listening. If you know my son, you know he LOVES basketball. Listen man, sometimes you have to do whatever works. After that talk, I watched him eat the rest of Mac n cheese and a few pieces of turkey as if it was the most painful thing ever!

Another attempt at getting him to eat involved bribery! What are some of your kids favorite snacks?! Telling my son, he’ll get chocolate milk or a popsicle if he eats worked a few times. Also giving in to this little persons wants, if it were up to him, he’d eat pizza and ice cream for dinner every night. But what in the diet?! I wouldn’t be a fit mom if he ate that daily. I’d be a cool stress free mom that doesn’t have to use tactics to get her child to eat but who’s the boss here? Am I seriously going to let a toddler bully me. I think not.

For my mommies who have this on LOCK, I need tips. What’s dinner time like at your house?! My sister gave me the best advice. When he wants to eat, he’ll eat. Don’t stress! I’ll keep that in the back of my head but in the meantime, I like the bribery tactic most.

Wins & Losses