Rough Night
This has been an amazingly busy week for me. Last week was incredibly hectic followed by a non-stop weekend. The non-stop weekend involved a lot of meetings for me at the church where childcare was provided for Darcy. She had a great time, but it meant for a late night on Friday and a really short nap on Saturday.
As a result, she was really out of sorts by the end of the weekend. She went to bed at a decent time on Sunday night, but I had to get her up early yesterday because I needed to be in London for a meeting at 10:30, so we needed to get an early start. She had a crummy nap (45 minutes) at the babysitter's house yesterday, so by the time I got her home for supper last night she had had it!
Fortunately, I had the foresight to have supper cooking in the crock pot yesterday during the day. So by the time I got back from London and picked Darcy up we could just go home and supper was ready. It was roast beef, with potatoes and carrots. Yummy, you'd think.
Well, the very idea was somehow insulting to Darcy. She refused to eat a bite and just had a complete and total meltdown. She had been promised a lollipop if she ate her supper. That went out the window fairly early. She even had to be removed from her chair for a time out. Nothing made any sort of difference. I just kept hearing "I no want to eat!" or "I not hungwy!" or other pleasant phrases like that. She sucked back her juice, but when she was almost done she managed to pour the remainder of it all over her vegetables. But when I took the juice away, she got angry all over again. My personal favourite of the two-year old vocabulary then made it's appearance "Gimme gimme!"
I tried to get her to at least eat her yogurt, but she wasn't having it. When I saw yogurt in her hair instead of her mouth I figured it was time to call an end to the festivities. As I was washing her face and cleaning her up she looked at me and with the sweetest little voice said "Mommy, I hungry. I have something to eat, please?" I wasn't falling for that, and we both needed a break. So she got out of the high chair and we went downstairs to call Daddy. He was able to talk to her for a few minutes and get her to agree to listen to Mommy. I let her play and relax for a little while, then I tried again to give her something to eat (bread, right out of the freezer, she loves it) and she scarfed down two pieces.
I think we were both completely exhausted. She went to bed without any trouble and when she finished her breakfast this morning (two bowls of Cheerios) she looked at me and said "Now I have my lollipop?"
I don't think so.
I think we're both pretty exhausted and completely worn out with the whole Nick being in Quebec thing. Fortunately we only have a few days left. We fly to Montreal on Saturday and we'll be with Nick for most of his last week.
It can't come soon enough!
So after all that, does anyone have any tips on getting food into a tantruming two year old?
As a result, she was really out of sorts by the end of the weekend. She went to bed at a decent time on Sunday night, but I had to get her up early yesterday because I needed to be in London for a meeting at 10:30, so we needed to get an early start. She had a crummy nap (45 minutes) at the babysitter's house yesterday, so by the time I got her home for supper last night she had had it!
Fortunately, I had the foresight to have supper cooking in the crock pot yesterday during the day. So by the time I got back from London and picked Darcy up we could just go home and supper was ready. It was roast beef, with potatoes and carrots. Yummy, you'd think.
Well, the very idea was somehow insulting to Darcy. She refused to eat a bite and just had a complete and total meltdown. She had been promised a lollipop if she ate her supper. That went out the window fairly early. She even had to be removed from her chair for a time out. Nothing made any sort of difference. I just kept hearing "I no want to eat!" or "I not hungwy!" or other pleasant phrases like that. She sucked back her juice, but when she was almost done she managed to pour the remainder of it all over her vegetables. But when I took the juice away, she got angry all over again. My personal favourite of the two-year old vocabulary then made it's appearance "Gimme gimme!"
I tried to get her to at least eat her yogurt, but she wasn't having it. When I saw yogurt in her hair instead of her mouth I figured it was time to call an end to the festivities. As I was washing her face and cleaning her up she looked at me and with the sweetest little voice said "Mommy, I hungry. I have something to eat, please?" I wasn't falling for that, and we both needed a break. So she got out of the high chair and we went downstairs to call Daddy. He was able to talk to her for a few minutes and get her to agree to listen to Mommy. I let her play and relax for a little while, then I tried again to give her something to eat (bread, right out of the freezer, she loves it) and she scarfed down two pieces.
I think we were both completely exhausted. She went to bed without any trouble and when she finished her breakfast this morning (two bowls of Cheerios) she looked at me and said "Now I have my lollipop?"
I don't think so.
I think we're both pretty exhausted and completely worn out with the whole Nick being in Quebec thing. Fortunately we only have a few days left. We fly to Montreal on Saturday and we'll be with Nick for most of his last week.
It can't come soon enough!
So after all that, does anyone have any tips on getting food into a tantruming two year old?
posted by Sue Matthews at 9:46 AM
6 Comments:
I think you handled it very well, removing her from the table when you realised it wasn't going anywhere. But how can the kid prefer frozen bread to roast beef???
Ahhhh, the joys of overtired! In my experience, when overtired is in control, there is no point in attempting to get the disagreeable child to eat. Put them to bed AS SOON AS POSSIBLE is the only solution... however, offering a standard favorite as you did, a little later and well past the tantrum, is OK by me.
Isn't it crazy how overtired just perpetuates itself? A poor night's sleep leads to a short nap... which MUST be followed by an EARLY bedtime or the cycle just goes and goes and goes. Ahhhhh, sleep...
Hey Sue! I've had these occasions. Yep, did exactly what you did, removed him from the table and then when it was time for bedtime snack (which was early) I usually beefed up the snack, ie. give fruits, etc. instead of the usual arrowroot or whatever. I've often read that they won't go hungry and missing one meal won't do any "harm." Funny, I have a Supernanny daily calendar on my desk and right now they last week has been focusing on the trials and tribulations of getting a toddler to eat! I guess it is just important to know that we all experience this at some point!
Maybe there was something in the air! Lucas was miserable yesterday too. His may be partly due to teething. He's really been chomping on his fingers and drooling.
He kept hitting Laura, throwing toys, throwing food and not eating lunch. He even had a time out in his crib. That was before lunch though, so I didn't leave him in then to sleep. Maybe I should have!
I agree with the others. Forego the food during the tantrum, then offer a healthy snack/meal later on when things have calmed down.
And NEVER cave on the treats when there is bad behaviour! They learn early how to manipulate and will continue if not stopped. Learned that one in my babysitting days! I was more strict than Mommy and Daddy at one place!
Thanks so much guys! These comments have helped me feel a million times better about the whole thing! I really felt like the worst parent in the world last night.
I'm glad to know you would have done the same thing.
Lynn, I hope Lucas didn't learn the hitting when Darcy was hitting him at Laura's birthday party!
Lucas was hitting long before the birthday party!
If he learned it from anyone, it was probably Laura! Although, it seems to be a natural reaction in many kids.
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