As some of you know, I bowed to extreme pressure and allowed my spouse and mother in law to start in on Douwe about his eating habits. After some initial *ahem* boundary setting (read, the child declared war and burned the ground and salted the ground after he burned it, then decided it wasn't worth the trouble and went along) this has worked out fine. I still think it was stupid, but it wasn't so stupid as to be harmful and god knows I do my share of stupid parent tricks.
So guess who got in on the "I don't eat" act? C'mon, guess.
Got it in one. And if Douwe is stubborn, Daan is implacable. Daan, when he sets his mind to it, makes Dowue look easygoing (though he is less dramatic about it. And does it far less often). Some of you may recall that Daan never took a bottle in his life. Never. Not ever. Douwe screamed and hollered and carried on and threw fits and then when it became clear that there was no other option he went along. Daan? Well, may I just say that my mother, battle hardened veteran of six children and four grandchildren, only ever called anybody once about a baby who wouldn't settle down. And that grandbaby was Daan.
So here's how little Daan has solved his problem: every single night for about a week, Daan has had either his father or his grandmother and sometimes both feeding him the bulk of his dinner.
I did not feed that child his dinner when he was an infant. As soon as he could get his food to his mouth he fed himself. He liked it. So I spread a sheet to protect the floor and let him have at it.
So now he's 4. And he is eating right out of their hands. And they like it. Or at least they don't seem to mind.
I have sat in secret admiration while he managed this little feat, I must say. I hope he hasn't noticed, though. I might be next you know.
3 comments:
Jeannine:
I am not sure what changed about Douwe's eating habits? Eats what others want him to eat? eats what is placed in front of him? Other?
I would be inclined to ignore Daan and see what happens. I have been repeatly told that kids will not starve themselves.
Dad
Hi, dad,
After much burning and salting of the ground, Paul settled on the one bite rule, to wit, Douwe gets to eat one bite of some new food every night.
Some foods have caught on -- string beans, peas, broccoli, and canned peaches have made it onto the foods he will eat without much meowing list. Don't ask me about the peaches, this wasn't my idea. I was all for ignoring it until he turned 18.
However, for Paul the important thing seems to have been that Douwe actually try it. Now he tries it, whatever the designated food may be.
Jeannine:
Super cool!!!!
Dad
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