To not want to play with my DS

[mama01]

He's really pissed me off by refusing his dinner, stuff he'll normally eat. He's an intelligent, articulate 3yo but an absolute pain in the arse when it comes to eating. He knows I'm not happy. He wants me to play with him now but I really want him to understand that he has to make more of an effort to at least try his food.

I normally go with the flow and am much softer on him than my DP when it comes to discipline etc. Think I'm just under the weather and can't be bothered with it anymore hence I'm sulking in my bedroom whilst he keeps asking me to play...

YABVU

Making a child equate food with attention/love is never a good thing.

True. I always tell myself he'll grow out of it and I'll end up with a gannet in the not too distant future and I shouldn't get hung up about it. It's just demoralising sometimes.

Or you could create a gannet by making him see that food and eating = love....

Well I see where you are coming from speaking as the mum of a very fussy 9 year old.

However, YABU purely because you cant punish him for not eating by not interacting with him......it will stir up the hornets nest and probably give him more problems re food in the long run.

I used to get really stressed about DS's eating but he is a lot better than he used to be and although he has a long way to go it isnt worth risking my bloodd pressure for :)

I know it can be really frustrating to make stuff you know they like which then gets pushed about the plate and not eaten, but personally I'd be really careful about trying to manipulate his eating with punishments/sulking etc.

You don't want him to end up conditioned to eat whatever you give him that he looses the ability to realise when he is actually hungry, and what his body needs to eat. I speak from experience as someone who finds it hard to leave any food uneaten on a plate now, and as a result am the size of a small house!

Also it might be confusing as there isn't really a logical connection between Mummy not playing with you and not eating your dinner - unlike say not eating your dinner and being hungry later on as there will be nothing else on offer.

My DS can be really contrary about food - refusing something he normally eats, or only wanting one thing at a time To try and minimise waste and keep my sanity I try to talk to him about what is for dinner before I cook - if there are options see if he wants to pick, give him choice between 2 veg etc. Sometimes it helps...

All this is wrapped up with being being forced by the economic climate to become a part-time SAHM when I'd rather be working more (not full time but just more hours). Hats off to those that do it full time. I just get a bit down with it all, having to entertain him, worrying about money and coping with it being dreary winter. Roll on the sun.

But yes, need to pull my socks up for his sake and my sanity!