Ask a mother of 14 continued

Question: How would you handle the following situation:A 7 year old boy has suddenly stopped eating his vegetables. I breast fed him for almost two years, and have never given him just "kid food." Vegetable have always been very present in our home, and he has always eaten them without any complaints. Now, suddenly he is balking at eating his vegetables. I think there are some sensory issues and he lives to swim upstream, no matter what the rest of us are doing. Part of me says it will pass and to not make an issue of it. Another part of me wants to serve the same plate of food over and over (however, that raises food safety issues). When a child shows a reasonable dislike for a food, I don't serve it to him (Why should I? I don't serve food to my husband he dislikes, and I don't force myself to eat what I dislike.).Any pearls of wisdom on this one? Thanks!

Answer: Ashley- This is one of those questions where there is no one right answer. I don't know what makes your son tick, but you do. So I will tell you two ways I have handled the same thing with my own kids. Each was different because the children and what I thought was REALLY going on were different. :)

1- child is just being a stinker for no obvious reason. I have learned to pick my battles. Some battles are not worth having. If it seemed to just be vegetable thing, a being 7 thing, a for-some-reason-I-lost-my-mind kind of thing I would wait it out for awhile. That child would get no larger serving of anything else, and no snacks other than raw veggies. :) If they get double what they do like, you could lose the battle. But if they are just eating less by skipping the veggies.....let it go for awhile. If they don't get a fight ( which MIGHT be what they are aiming for) then it will probably correct itself.

2-Child is seeing who is boss. Then I would up the stakes a bit. (Don't fight with them- never fight unless you can WIN.) Instead make sure they get no extra serving size of what they ARE eating. Put the veggies on the plate. Tell them you want them to eat them. Once. Don't mention it again. If they don't eat them. Don't say a word. (This is the hard part) Throw them out when you do dishes.... Then serve dessert. (Esp effective is dessert is rare in your house) This needs to be something good that they like, but did not know you had. ;) Don't give them any. "Sorry, you weren't hungry enough to eat your vegetables, so I know you don't need this treat". End of story. No debate. No anything. Expect tears. Brace yourself mom.The next night have dessert out in the open before dinner. Serve veggies with no discussion. Most kids will give up and eat them. (Unless you caved in last night) If not, enjoy dessert with-out them. If you do not let their pouting, crying, saying they hate this family, bother you in the least- it will end after a few times of this- never to be spoken of. ;)I do allow my kids one food each they hate. LOL! It does not get to change meal to meal though. HAHA! Hugs, Barbara