peppa pig addiction

[NancyDee]

hello everyone,
So I would like to know why my DD will not eat dinner unless peppa pig is on. I admit, I have made a rod for my own back as after a long hard day at work, picking her up from the childminder and then rushing home to try and get her to eat some dinner that I sometimes put it on as I need to load the dishwasher take the washing out etc etc. but now she refuses to eat without it playing. do i tough it out...the screaming makes me cry sometimes...can someone help me??? she is usually a great eater so not worried about her weight or anything...yet. i feel like a bad mother!!

Im going through similar except dd wants mickey mouse on. She just screams 'mickey!' or 'mote!' constantly.

We have decided to leave this battle for now. She is only 22 months so im hoping she will grow out of it.

Hello what time do you pick her up? Could she not have her tea at the cms?

I think I would limit it so that she can watch 1 or 2 episodes when she gets home, then eat, then bath and bed (or whatever usual routine is)

You probably will have to turn the telly off and if she refuses to eat take her plate away. I am a little bit as to why this would have you in tears though!! If she screams let her get on with it, she is having a paddy at not being able to control the world - unfortunately this is something she will have to get used to

I personally think it is really anti social to watch telly when you are eating esp if you have been working all day.

Oh and do all the dishwasher/ washing jobs once you have put her to bed......

Because you have done it so often it is now her routine rather than a treat. She is crying because she is being denied what she thinks is rightfully hers. Can you break the cycle by pulling the plug out of the TV and pretending it's broken, or that the batteries have run out in the remote? Then she isn't getting Peppa because there has been a disaster rather than because you are saying no. Sometimes this is easier for them to take, and you can console them by sympathising, then distracting. Once the TV is 'fixed' you can become more judicious in its use.

Good point noblegiraffe (great name BTW). I think husband and I slipped into playing peppa pig on laptop occasionally as a treat that then grew into routine. we have decided to tough it out and just say no and take the tantrums...but when they are screaming in your face after a long hard day it does make you think...if i just put peppa on, she would eat, i would be happy and a bit more relaxed. HOWEVER watching TV when eating is antisocial and not a great habit to get them into. Broken laptop/TV is a great idea.thanks!

We had a similar problem with DS, he still loves Peppa. We went cold turkey for about 5 days. We hid the remote controls and unplugged the tv, hid all screens and didn't have anything on while DS was up. It was hard for the first day, but he accepted it. It meant we could go back to it being a treat rather than him wanting it every single waking moment.

Turn it off and tough it out, though sounds like you've decided to go with that anyway. Let us know how it goes!

It's baby Jake and breakfast time that's the problem in my house!

Oh god, I was going to post the exact same thing OP. Here it's Peppa Pig or Kipper the Dog. Anything else gets 'arrrghhhh' in protest until we turn over. He calls dinner and the computer ninar. We started because DS was not putting on weight a year old and we were very concerned he ate his dinner. THe only way of persuding him was distraction, hence the habit. We hate TV in the house in the day - it's a terrible habit...but now he insists on it and I'm close to tears over it all too. He simply refuses to eat. I've tried giving him bits of food too, BLW-stylee, but it all just goes to the dog.

I have had some success though. He now eats lunch with CM twice a week (she asked what ninar meant!) and watching the other children eat helps him to do the same. If I give him a really good toy, he'll engage with this (sometimes) while I shove the spoon in. He likes to spear things with a fork so he generally will feed himself lumps of pear or other soft fruit.

I did the old broken tv thing when my dd became a Dora addict. She will get over it. My dd is stubborn as anything and she forgot all about Dora after a while.

Then you will have to start a new routine. Play, dinner, PJ's, milk & TV, teeth, story and bed is what I did.

I now do no tv at any other times except before bed. Then they know they are getting it later.

Thanks everyone...we have not had peppa on for 3 days now yay! x

Well done you and your DD Nancy! - how's her eating?