To say that I am fully entrenched in the age of the Toddler....is quite the understatement of the year. With Noah's Big 2nd Birthday to be celebrated this weekend, it seems my normally agreeable, "go with the flow" son....is now an "I don't think so" "not in this lifetime" sort of fella! Our on the same page relationship, has morphed into a full on Battle of Wills....and so far the tally is Toddler 1, Mommy 0.
This recent battle is over control over what edible substances will enter my son's mouth....and let's just say the list of acceptable items is getting smaller and smaller by the day....
Last week, we LOVED Spinach, while this week it is completely unacceptable....Today Bananas are all systems go....while yesterday they were chucked over the highchair for the three dogs to devour....
Everyday is a "will he or won't he" and I feel like I can't win for losing.....
I've read, and researched....cajoled and pleaded.....stomped and pouted....with little headway made in this war of the ages. Can I just tell you, the most difficult part of this whole dilemma is the idea of NOT fixing your child something else when they refuse to eat.....or fixing a late night snack when they've made a wall painting of dinner. I battle Myself daily on "He's not going to starve"....and "he'll eat when he's hungry enough"....you go to bed feeling like a bad parent for allowing your child to go to bed with only a half eaten bowl of applesauce as their sustenance.
I can actually say though, that as of this week, I've found a new small ray of hope in overcoming....or at least more easily walking this path I'm on. Weelicious.com. It is a fabulous resource of healthy, fast and Toddler approved recipes...So far many of the recipes I've tried have passed his ever pickier taste buds....and have satisfied my need for meeting his nutritional requirements.
So maybe now it's more like Toddler 1....Mommy 1......
Boo Yeah!
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7 comments:
Just so you know, that book is my 2 year old's current favourite book! :) Good Luck!
Thank you thank you thank for posting this suggestion. I'm having this battle with my daughter too, which then causes a battle between the hubs and I on if we are going to cook 10 more different meals until she eats one of them. My vote is no, he feels guilty and will try until she wears him out.
Toddlers want control-hence the battle of wills. I've been there (one child who lived through it one currently in the middle of it and one coming up on it in another year or so). My suggestion is to give him control-in toddler doses.
Give him a choice between two or three options that you like equally and then follow through-so like with food you can say 'for lunch would you like grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly?' Let him make as many decisions as possible all day every day, and make him stick to them (no changing his mind a thousand times), then when it comes down to something that you need to do just firmly tell him "This is mommy's choice to make-you will have more choices later." This lets them have independence, and practice making choices (and living with them!) and this really defuses a lot of the toddler struggles.
Not all...but alot.
The toddlerhood struggles are difficult! I hope this phase passes quickly for you.
Oh Toddlers. They make you want to laugh scream and cry all at the same time. Mine keeps telling me what I am asking him to do is not an option
Oh my gosh, I remember that stage! It still rears it's head to a lesser degree here and there! Good luck!
Off to check out the site. I've got a two year old. I hear ya!
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