Dinner times taking FOREVER

[mummywith2princesses]

Just want to ask if anyone else finds dinner times difficult?

I have 2 beauts, 3yrs old and 5 years old, they used to be quite good eaters but now they just seem to have no interest in it, I make meals I know they like just to get them to eat and even if they are enjoying it, it can take them over an hour to eat.

I don't force them to eat, if they say I'm full I tell them to stop as long as they have eaten a little but I'm quite strict on the fact that if they don't eat dinner they don't have dessert or treats after because in my view if they are too full to eat dinner they shouldn't have any room for dessert.

Anyone got any tips to make dinner time go abit quicker?

Sounds like you're doing the right thing by not getting too involved in cajoling them to eat.

If your evening routine can accommodate it, maybe you could break the cycle with a week of doing something active in the afternoons/early evening, and then dinner a bit later than usual? Work up an appetite and see if they eat faster when they're properly hungry.

Otherwise a timer might help - a sound cue that is the ten minute warning for your food being taken away, and another sound when time is up. Use it or lose it basically!

I've tried the use it or lose it, they still eat slowly lol!

Although now you mention it the more active we are during the day the better they eat and we tend to eat at around 5:30pm because any earlier and they dont eat but any later that 6/6:30pm and they dont eat due to being over hungry! I stick to a pretty regular routine and have done since they were born so when we do something different it doesnt affect them too much and they go straight into their routine the next day 😊

I think I'll try taking them down to the local park for some "fairy hunting" just before dinner so they work up an appetite 😊