To want DD to eat her meals at the table without TV

[Overcooked]

DD is 2 at the end of November, she goes in fits and starts with her eating, sometimes she eats really well other times she seems to go days without eating properly and we invariably end up feeding her whatever she will take within reason, I don't mean chocolate for every meal but things we know she is unlikely to reject. So sometimes she does not seem to have avery balanced diet and might eat just peas or just carrots for her dinner.

She is our first and I know a lot of people say that I should just be glad that she is happy to eat something and as it is not unhealthy stuff then I should leave it and get her to try new things when she is eating - sounds like perfect sense to me.

However, when she is not eating well we are much more likely to cave in and let her eat her meals in the front room or in fornt of the TV instead of at her table (with one of us there) without TV.

Am I over worying this or should we start as we mean to go on, do you thinks it's fine to aim for dinner at the table no TV but stretch it if she isn't eating well or are we teaching her that she can use food as a way to get her own way.

I appreciate she is very little but she is also a little terror and she does things purposely to get attention so I know that she is aware of her behaviour IYSWIM.

Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks.

i serve the food, never anything i know they dont like and they can either eat it or not, breakfast,snack,dinner,tea,supper, always offered even if they dont eat the last meal, they (aged 13 months,2.5 and 9) are all pretty healthy and the right sizes :)

overcooked - maybe i've just been lucky so far because my son is a decent eater but i am firmly of the view you shouldn't start catering to their tastes and whims and end up having to prepare them the few things they dictate, or multiple meals when they turn up their nose at something they usually eat.

However some people choose not to battle over food. My brother and his wife have five kids and they don't care if they have to prepare extra meals or the older ones do their own thing. This would drive me nuts and as far as I can tell their diets are actually really unhealthy as a result.

I just can't believe a child will starve rather than eat what they are given. At some point they WILL eat. We've sent our son to bed without if he has refused a perfectly good meal. And he has learned there's no chance of a treat or pudding if he doesn't finish the main meal. he is also good about trying new things if there is a promise of a treat.

i don't mean to dismiss the realities of parents of picky eaters though - i'm sure i don't know the half of it.

I really liked that HV. He was also the one who, when I was stressing about bathing a tiny DS, said 'FGS you are just dunking him in some water, it's hardly a spa experience with candles'

lol when i saw the title "To want DD to eat her meals at the table without TV" i thought the kid would be about 15 and throwing a strop, as teenagers do

she is 2 PMSL! if you cant control what they do at that age, there is no hope my love

Interesting Gigglepig - tell me do you have or have you had a two year old that does exactly as you say - and when it's asleep doesn't count 'love'!

'I will have to try and be more consistent - my problem is I will do anything for an easy life!'

So that's the choice you have to make, and then deal with the consequences.
All I can say is pick your battles carefully and consistency is very important if you want your child to understand any rules you may have.

Overcooked, if I am not eating with my 3yo DD then I sit at the table with her and read a fairy tale. This way she doesnt spend so long chatting to me that she forgets to eat (i've got one of those 12 hour a day chatterboxes) but we are still 'properly' interacting with each other, rather than my just being in the kitchen at the same time. Also, she eats what she is given (and this is sometimes new stuff, not just food I know she'll eat) or doesn't eat anything else. If she's hungry, she'll eat, if not, well, she waits till the next meal.

My sympathies op. I have a similar thread about 2 year olds and food in the behaviour section.
My toddler doesnt even have a favourite meal - shes just not interested in food.
Reading this thread though makes me think I will stop with TV and toys at the table type of distractions. Trouble is, when theres nothing of interest at the table she simply gets down or has a total meltdown if I make her stay in the chair. Same result either way - no food consumed again.