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Original poster

If your kids won't eat their tea, would you send them to bed hungry?

39 replies

rickman · 21/03/2005 18:03

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OP posts:
Newbarnsleygirl · 21/03/2005 18:05

No, don't feel guilty.

If you stick to your guns they'll soon realise you mean business

Yorkiegirl · 21/03/2005 18:05

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Merlin · 21/03/2005 18:05

errrr.... no. Have done this quite a bit recently with DS. Doesn't seem to harm him - tends to make him eat more for breakfast though!

morningpaper · 21/03/2005 18:08

I don't do this, simply because if dd goes to bed hungry she is up all night.

She just gets a bit of bread (which is all she ever wants anyway).

laneydaye · 21/03/2005 18:10

now ds is 4 i dont have a problem doing it....
usually the next day he eats everything

Gobbledigook · 21/03/2005 18:16

Rickman, I very nearly posted the same thing last week but rang JoolsToo for reassurance instead!!

I send them to bed with nothing because they don't wake in the night if I don't. It might be different if I suffered as a consequence .

My kids are BAD at eating (though tonight have done well - I think cos they've been running about in the garden all afternoon and I've given no snacks) and if they don't eat what's in front of them they get nothing else. I do sometimes feel bad but if I just give them toast/cereal whatever later, they are never going to eat a proper meal are they?

fisil · 21/03/2005 18:18

Don't feel guilty, I would (and do) send ds off hungry if he hasn't eaten. I assume that if he didn't eat the delicious food I selected for him then he clearly wasn't hungry.

morningpaper · 21/03/2005 18:22

Yes I would probably have a different policy if I didn't have to get out of bed fiften times in the night to ponder my actions...

LIZS · 21/03/2005 18:22

Had to do this with dd recently and she is now eating loads. As long as you are not likely to be in for a disturbed night as a consequence (I love my sleep can't you tell) then leave them.

TinyGang · 21/03/2005 18:26

How old are they?

Without even a token effort, yes I would if this is happening regularly.

If they appear later and say they're hungry, then out with the dinner again! Genuine dislikes are understandable, but a blanket refusal each time is not on.

Could they be involved in choosing what they have - within reason - either between two or three things which you are happy with too. Maybe helping you to prepare it too might interest them?

Eating with children helps too, I think, but often we don't for various reasons and I feel bad about it.

Good luck - I know mealtimes are very hard at times.

moondog · 21/03/2005 18:29

Pack 'em off pronto!
(Longer evening for you to enjoy in peace. )
Wouldn't mind my lot refusing something every now and again. I'm sick of shopping!!!

TinyGang · 21/03/2005 18:31

I've also done the total ban on sweets if we've been going through a bad eating phase. They hate that and know I mean it.

The only thing on offer if anyone is playing up with food is fruit which I try always to have for them, regardless.

milge · 21/03/2005 18:53

I'm mid way through a battle with ds over this, and yes, he often goes to bed hungry, but i find that he then eats himself silly at breakfast and lunch, and then refuses supper again... so tonight we compromised and he ate 6 mouthfuls of supper, then could have a yoghurt, some strawberries and an episode of BTB

JoolsToo · 21/03/2005 18:55

ah! GDG will be interested in this thread

JoolsToo · 21/03/2005 18:55

oops - she's already on here

Gobbledigook · 21/03/2005 19:01

Milge - ditto. I find exactly the same. They eat a lot at breakfast, do well on lunch but are never that interested in their evening meal. I also then might allow them to eat a bit of everything (so if 3 things on the plate they eat 3 spoons of each say) then they can have yoghurt and fruit.

I also go through phases of no chocolate. Sometimes I even put the smarties out on the table to bribe them to eat more but it often doesn't work!!!

In some ways I guess it doesn't matter if they eat little and often instead but eat healthy things.

giraffeski · 21/03/2005 19:10

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Caligula · 21/03/2005 19:12

No don't feel guilty. Get them to bed now and you'll have them all tucked up in time to settle down to Corrie!

MunchedTooManyMarsLady · 21/03/2005 19:21

Yes!

SoupDragon · 21/03/2005 19:26

Yes I would do, and have done, it.

Socci · 21/03/2005 19:26

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Original poster
rickman · 21/03/2005 21:59

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OP posts:
Blossomhill · 21/03/2005 22:02

I couldn't no. Just hate the thought of them being hungry. I am too much of a softie but would feel very uncomfortable sending my children to bed hungry.

ThomCat · 21/03/2005 22:10

If Lottie doesn't eat tea, she doesn't eat tea and I accept it, I will offer her toast as a last ditch attempt to eat something but if she won't, she own't.

half hour before bed I give the last opportunity to get some toast and some milk before bed, then that's it.

However that's not the same as refusing to eat what you've made in preference for soemtning else. If they are just testing and being monkeys then no, tea is what's in front of them and if there's a massive problem with it then a slive of toast and a glass of milk, or nothing. That's the line I'd take, but easy for me to say as not living it.

stitch · 22/03/2005 09:34

no you shouldnt feel guilty. when i have actually carried out the threat of sending them to bed hungry, i have always had hungry children come down later and sheepishly ask if they can eat theri cold dinner.
also, it helps if their ar e not biscuits, or crisps or chocolates in the house. also, i wont throw a fuss if the eight year old decided to make himself a sanddwich and cleans up afterwards. ( well, not much of a fuss)