Stop the press. The whining and crying and full out tantrum stuff is really wearing on my nerves. I think I've been pretty consistent so far: I've remained calm in the face of this madness and I've not backed down or become a short-order cook. Eli's demeanor hasn't changed though. And it's not just lunchtime, when he might be tired, or dinner time, when maybe he's 'showing off' for Daddy. It's every meal, every day. Not to throw an excuse at it, but my parents are visiting in 48 hours, so I don't think I'm going to pull out the big guns just yet, as Eli usually requires a few days of 'crack down' to get back in shape, and I don't think it's fair to either Eli or his grandparents to go through that process while they're here. But we WILL go through that process if Eli doesn't turn around quick... The next step will be a missed meal. That is not to say I'm intentionally going to withhold food from him. We've been doing mini 'time-outs' during these tantrums so far. Eli is not allowed to carry on like that while eating or while he is seated with the family. So we'll pull him back from the table, or turn his chair around while he's having his melt-down. Since this is too often an occurrence, the next step is he will lose the opportunity to eat at the table. Don't let his age fool you: Eli is a smart cookie. He knows exactly what is expected of him and he is 100% capable of it. This is just one of many power struggles to come, I'm sure.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Just a Phase?
I hope so!! For over a week now, Eli has been extremely picky/fussy when it comes to meal time. This is a child who almost never (and I really mean it) turns his nose up to food. He likes everything and he's had a lot of variety in his two and a half years! But recently he prefers to inform me that he does not like what I'm serving almost without fail. And even if he does claim to like it, there is still something wrong with it, I assure you. Today he freaked out (and I mean FREAKED out) because his PB&J bread had a crevice in it slightly larger than other crevices. Not quite a hole, but big enough to notice. 
Stop the press. The whining and crying and full out tantrum stuff is really wearing on my nerves. I think I've been pretty consistent so far: I've remained calm in the face of this madness and I've not backed down or become a short-order cook. Eli's demeanor hasn't changed though. And it's not just lunchtime, when he might be tired, or dinner time, when maybe he's 'showing off' for Daddy. It's every meal, every day. Not to throw an excuse at it, but my parents are visiting in 48 hours, so I don't think I'm going to pull out the big guns just yet, as Eli usually requires a few days of 'crack down' to get back in shape, and I don't think it's fair to either Eli or his grandparents to go through that process while they're here. But we WILL go through that process if Eli doesn't turn around quick... The next step will be a missed meal. That is not to say I'm intentionally going to withhold food from him. We've been doing mini 'time-outs' during these tantrums so far. Eli is not allowed to carry on like that while eating or while he is seated with the family. So we'll pull him back from the table, or turn his chair around while he's having his melt-down. Since this is too often an occurrence, the next step is he will lose the opportunity to eat at the table. Don't let his age fool you: Eli is a smart cookie. He knows exactly what is expected of him and he is 100% capable of it. This is just one of many power struggles to come, I'm sure.
Stop the press. The whining and crying and full out tantrum stuff is really wearing on my nerves. I think I've been pretty consistent so far: I've remained calm in the face of this madness and I've not backed down or become a short-order cook. Eli's demeanor hasn't changed though. And it's not just lunchtime, when he might be tired, or dinner time, when maybe he's 'showing off' for Daddy. It's every meal, every day. Not to throw an excuse at it, but my parents are visiting in 48 hours, so I don't think I'm going to pull out the big guns just yet, as Eli usually requires a few days of 'crack down' to get back in shape, and I don't think it's fair to either Eli or his grandparents to go through that process while they're here. But we WILL go through that process if Eli doesn't turn around quick... The next step will be a missed meal. That is not to say I'm intentionally going to withhold food from him. We've been doing mini 'time-outs' during these tantrums so far. Eli is not allowed to carry on like that while eating or while he is seated with the family. So we'll pull him back from the table, or turn his chair around while he's having his melt-down. Since this is too often an occurrence, the next step is he will lose the opportunity to eat at the table. Don't let his age fool you: Eli is a smart cookie. He knows exactly what is expected of him and he is 100% capable of it. This is just one of many power struggles to come, I'm sure.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Keep standing your ground ... and this too shall pass! Been there done that and I'm sure have more to come :)
I'm no short order cook either and Pace is the one we have problems with not Ryan. So Pace either eats what he is given or he waits on the next meal. He's slowly learning :)
Toddlers have very little control over their lives. They live on schedules we dictate for them, eat food we tell them to, sleep when we think they're ready, etc.
At two, they only have control over their bodies....what they put in their mouths, how much and when, when they choose to fall asleep, and when they go to the bathroom and how (hence why potty training is much better when done on their schedule).
It might be that Eli is feeling a bit out of control at the moment. He might need to have more "authority" in some areas of his life (letting him choose his clothes, even if it's just from two outfits, having him pick what fork he eats with, letting him choose the veggie you'll eat for dinner that night, etc.). He might even be ready for some "chores" if you haven't introduced those yet (Ian clears his dishes, helps move laundry, and cleans the toy room every night before bed).
Our boys are transitioning out of toddlerhood and changing into preschoolers...it's hard to remember that they're going through a mental mindset change to "big" kid, whether we're ready or not!
Is it the age or what? Because we just started going through the same thing. Just last night she was upset because it wasn't what exactly what she wanted. Reading this helps so much. It's nice to know it's not just me.
It will come and go. Andrew is four and he's much more vocal about his meal choices. For the most part he always says "This is the most ah-scusting thing I ever see". This is the response to his favorite foods sometimes. I'm sure Eli is exercising his "independence" when really, he'd love nothing more than to eat the sandwich with the hole in it! But he can't tell mom that :)
Post a Comment