Mumsnet Talk

Lately I've been sick (wretched "morning" sickness every second of the day) and have been a bit lax with food and DS. He's been getting himself granola bars or whatever he wants basically while I lie around and moan. And I've been doing lots of quick pizzas, etc, rather than proper meals. But I'm feeling better now (this went on for about six weeks) and cooking like I used to.

I've noticed that DS has gotten much pickier than he used to be in that time and has been turning up his nose at a lot of food; he just seems to want granola bars and pickles all the time. He's five years old by the way, forgot that part. He is big though, most people think he's seven and he's always eaten a lot.

Today he had a granola bar and a glass of milk for breakfast. (He's never eaten a lot in the mornings) and then a banana and crackers and juice at preschool. For lunch he had most of an orange, a portion of pasta from last night (pasta, veggies, sauce and chopped up turkey), and a little square of chocolate. And a pickle. A few hours later he asked if he could have another granola bar and I said no but he could have toast. (We need to go shopping...I need more crackers and fruit etc ) He ate two pieces of toast but kept asking me for a granola bar. I said no more granola bars.

While I was talking to my mother on the phone I heard him run upstairs and a wrapper rustle. He'd taken a granola bar and run upstairs with it. I took him away and told him off for disobeying.

Later he asked if he could have a pickle. I said yes, one, and then no more eating until dinner. (Which will be in about an hour). I saw him grab two out of the jar and stuff one in his mouth, which again, was not what I said. I took the other one away and put it back in the jar.

He had a huge tantrum and kept insisting that he was hungry. I said if he were really hungry he could have some more leftover pasta. He refused it, so I feel like he's not actually hungry, he just wants to eat pickles and granola bars all day!

Arrgh! I don't want to be some draconian mom with the cupboards under lock and key, but he has no real food issues so I would like him to eat decent meals at proper times. Plus, granola bars and individual yogurts (another thing he wants to eat constantly when we have them) are not the cheapest things in the world and I feel like they are a once-a-day sort of thing, when we do have them.

Sorry this is so long, I'm just a bit frustrated. AIBU?

Took *it away, sorry.

YANBU at all.

Kids will always try it on but once you stand firm and give them a bit of continuity they get it.

Obviously he's been missing that continuity with the sickness and all but you're right to grab the bull by the horns now.

It sounds like he got used to having those things while you felt ill and is just testing you now you are back to normal. Stay firm even though it's hard and I'm sure he will realise life has gone back to normal and will calm down soon.

Good luck

Yanbu at all. It just might take him a few days to get used to mummy not being a pushover anymore because her head is out of the loo/ sink/ next door neighbours plant pot.

Don't get stressed about it.

Nope, YANBU.

I'd say, stop buying the granola bars full stop. We got into a bit of a cycle with our two as well, with crisps, and in the end we just stopped buying them. They soon forget to ask if they're not there.

Thanks.

He's also been trying it on with regard to watching shows on Netflix and playing computer games...things that I used to let him do just for a little while every day but that he got to do a lot more when I was sick because I could doze off while he was doing it. Now that I'm feeling better I've been limiting them again and he is not pleased!

I think he's also a bit worried about the baby in general...he'll have been an only child for almost 6 years by the time it's born and I think he knows his world is about to change quite a bit! He's been more sensitive and outburst-y lately, which of course is just what you want to deal with when you're feeling like crap...

Don't worry too much - his diet sounds great. Maybe bring dinner forward if he's hungry earlier?
Yy to not buying any more granola bars - seems the obvious solution

I agree, I will stop buying them. He can just as easily have oatmeal in the morning and fruit or toast for a snack.

Thank you...glad to know I'm not BU. DS certainly thinks I am, as well as "so mean."

Granola bars and pickles. Are pregnancy cravings catching?

Aw poor little mite

What a mean mummy wanting him to eat good healthy food!!



It really isn't any wonder he's kicking back a bit really is it? He's had a great time eating what he wants, when he wants, watching netflix, doing lots of 'usually restricted' things. There's a baby on the way and as you say, he's old enough to grasp (on some level) that life has already started to change and will change even more. I always think of it like your husband bringing home another wife and telling you that you should love her and be friends with her... when you look at it like that, it's quite a big ask of kids isn't it!!

Why not (if you can face it) make some oatmeal bars - you can make them sweet or savory and let him have those when he wants a snack, pretty cheap too! They're pretty much porridge in a bar.

I can't see the problem with letting him have pickles when he wants them?!

As for cracking down on screen time - there are lots of ways to tackle it, but first of all I think you should decide if it's actually causing a problem or not? If it is then look at ways he can have some control over it, or at the very least know what he is allowed on a daily/weekly basis - rather than just saying 'yes/no' when he asks.

I hope you can keep your head out of the loo!!

this is why I had mine close together... I used to poke a ginger biscuit through the cot bars til I was well enough to get up and give her proper breakfast. she was still having a morning bottle of milk though as well. [unhelpful]

congratulations... though...

you are just having a practice at being a "terrible" mother for when he is a teen... <eyeroll> good luck...

Chipping that is a good way to think of it, the wife thing.

The reason I don't let him have pickles whenever is that they are huge dill pickles and he would honestly eat almost the entire jar, and then he always gets a sore tummy.

I will try to make some oat bars as well. As far as screen time go I have tried telling him "you can have X episodes" and just cutting back a little every day.

Yes married, complete with slamming doors and all. Sigh...

Big dill pickles - yeah, one/two a day is probably enough

Hi yanky

I would stop buying the granola bars for a bit. Sounds like he is just trying it on a bit as he got used to mummy being poorly - doubt it will last long.

I could have sworn DS was Canadian till I saw your NN - the only people I know who eat dill pickles whole from the jar like that are anyway

Another one saying stop buying the bars for a while. It's tough, he's been in the driving seat for a few weeks so he won't want to move over, but you are right to get it under control now. Hope you're feeling better too.

Plus, if he eats all the pickles there is none for me.

Yes, we will definitely leave off with the granola bars for a bit.

The other thing he's been doing is bursting into tears/jumping to the worst conclusion immediately. Sigh. I'm trying very hard to be patient... <deep breaths> <can't have wine >

Yanky my love - you do know that this will only get worse when number 2 comes along don't you?

Ds is a great one for jumping to the worst possible conclusion immediately - keeping calm (very hard) and explaining quietly helps calm him down enough to actually listen. He was very difficult at 5 ish though.

Plus I am trying to convince DH that we must start our adoption process since it can take so long. (We've long talked about a child through this organization )

I should obviously be in a home somewhere, being looked after properly.

My sister is in the process of adopting again - takes 2 years on average most of that being paper work.