What a total waste of a day!!!!

[jac34]

Saturday is our family day together,DH,DS twins(7yo),stepDD(11yo)and myself.
Anyway,DT1 has been playing up at meal times recently,turning his nose up at things that he will eat perfectly happily another day.He refused to eat his lunch,stormed off saying he didn't like it,and went to his room.
I'm so fed up,I just said,"well go without then."
We all sat down,ate lunch,then afterwards we were going to a large park(adventure play,boating lake).DH and I thought that since he still had not come down to eat his lunch,DT1 shouldn't go.So off went DH,DT2 and stepDD.
He eventually came down,had a paddy when he discovered they had gone and ate his lunch(a hour or so late).
DH is still out with the kids,I've been stuck in with a sulky 7yo all day and still don't feel I've achieved anything
Our family day is lost,DH plays golf all day tomorrow,it's Sunday so cr*p public transport,so I'm stuck in with two 7yos.
What a waste!!!!!I's it really worth trying to disapline them.

Oh dear!
yes - of course worth disciplining them - but don't impose something that will hurt you more than it hurts them!!

I totally understand this.

Very often my children will behave in a manner that undoes their right to a treat iyswim and I really want to say 'ok we don't go to the zoo or whatever' but because these things are events OH and myself enjoy too I find it very difficult to make the decision to cancel a treat.

However, I think you are entirely justified and very brave. You did precisely the right thing imo and it is what I should do all the time.

I think that if you can be consistent like this just a few times it saves a lot of spoiled occasions in the long run. You will probably see the rewards of your decision far sooner than I will using my approach.

I am appalled that I cannot manage to do this with my children as I am a behaviour management consultant but I really do think that for the sake of one spoiled weekend you ahve saved yourselves heaps of heartache.

It wasn't a complete waste of a day in the end,DH came home with the other children,asked if DT1 had eaten his lunch and been good.As he had(eventually),we all went out for tea and took them to a playground.
DT1 seemed quite repentant, so it may have worked.
I explained we have never allowed fussy eating,in our house and it wasn't going to start now!!
Next month,we are going on holiday with all three children so we wanted to try to put a stop to these stroppy out bursts,now rather than let it spoil everyone's holiday.
As Nannyme pointed out it may be worth it in the long run.
We have always stood pretty firm whenever we have imposed a punishment,so I don't want to start giving in now,just because they are going through a bit of a naughty phase and I'm fed up of doing battle.