last year, my grandmother gave me a baby and toddler development book originally published in the 1940s. i love reading it for its practical, no-nonsense advice. it was from this book that i got the best advice ever on feeding toddlers.
i'm paraphrasing, but the basic idea was this: it is up to you as a parent to decide what your child eats and when. it's up to your child to decide how much.
when maddie refuses the meal i provide, which happens more these days as she nears two, i remember the huge healthy meal she ate at lunch, and know that if she were hungry, she would eat. the important thing is that i continue to offer a well-balanced, healthy meal with a lot of variety.
I'm glad to hear that I am not the only parent who has the say-so in what their children eat! I am so tired of my friends (and their children) coming for dinner and requesting I make their child a PB&J! In my house, you eat what you're given or you don't eat!
Posted by: Andrea | November 13, 2007 at 06:12 PM
Amen to that. My mother used to say, "When you can cook it, then you can decide!" Worked for me.
Posted by: Michel | November 15, 2007 at 04:29 PM
As a new parent, this has been something I have been musing over a lot. I have known food to be a huge battleground between parents and children and have vowed (did I say I was a new parent :)) to never control how much Vehd eats but to be very clear about 'what' is available and 'when'. Thanks for affirming my vow Shannon!
Posted by: Anoo | November 17, 2007 at 05:58 AM