AIBU?
to be getting irritated with DH's dinner games
ShadowStorm · 28/04/2013 19:21
DS is 20 months, and at mealtimes usually gets a portion of whatever meal everyone else is eating. How much he eats can vary a lot depending on how much he likes what's on offer.
But, regardless of whether DS is stuffing the food in like he's not eaten in a week, or whether he's sitting there staring at it with a look of disgust, DH seems to feel the need to encourage him along.
DH will say things like "Is that daddy's bit of food?" "Daddy will eat it if you don't eat up quickly" or try and get food into DS's mouth by playing train or aeroplane games. He does this even with foods DS loves and is happily eating. PIL's also do this with DS when we're eating with them.
I think that we shouldn't play games or try to pressure DS into eating food - I'm concerned that too much of this will turn mealtimes into a battle of wills between us and DS. Usually, if I'm eating the same food, after looking at the food and poking it for a bit, DS will at least try the food of his own free will and will often eat a fair amount anyway. I do tell DS he's a good boy to taste the food after he's tasted / eaten some, but try not to pressure him about it beforehand.
Anyway, today, we had a roast dinner. DS wasn't too keen on trying the broccoli, so DH started playing a game which involved tickling DS's head with the broccoli (DS thought that this was hilarious, BTW) before trying to sneak the broccoli in DS's mouth. Didn't work, DS spat it out straight away. But then, DS picked up the broccoli, and started copying DH by tickling himself with the broccoli, and almost got it stuck in his ear. And then tried a bit of broccoli without any extra "encouragement" 5 minutes later, after he'd had more yorkshire pudding.
AIBU to tell DH to stop the dinnertime games, because they're annoying and don't seem to work, and to just let DS get on with eating?
MortifiedAdams · 28/04/2013 19:26
This does my head in too. DD is 16mo and eats whats in front of her til she is full then says "all gone" when she is finished. Dh takes this as his cue to start co-ercing her, doibg a bit of reverse psychology etc.
Drives me potty and usually equates to 15mins bargaining per extra bite.
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