Stupid question - 2 year old and meals

[Danascully2]

2 year old is firmly into the terrible twos - just in time for Christmas yay! My older one absolutely loved his food so we didn't really have battles at mealtimes. Younger one though is a lot more take it or leave it about his food so having a few issues. The stupid thing I'm struggling with at the moment is that he refuses to wear a bib/overall or anything. I don't mind so much at dinner time as clothes are usually going in the wash soon after but it is a problem at breakfast where he wears his pyjamas and gets them plastered in porridge/weetabix. I can't be getting through a new pair of pyjamas every day! I have sometimes forced the bib on him but then he's so angry he won't eat anything. Any helpful ideas??

Just take the pyjamas off before you serve breakfast

Let hkm eat naked or serve food such as toast which isn't messy

Strip him off before he eats, I don't know of many two year olds who will happily wear a bib.

Naked or a meal jumper (old/cheap) that you use for mealtimes

Just wash his pjs.

Give him toast and fruit

When she was younger and having Weetabix every day I did wash her pyjamas every day!

When mine were that age and eating weetabix for breakfast I did was their pyjamas every day! Easiest solution surely, a pair of age 2 pjs really isnt that much extra to wash?

Would he wear a ‘painting apron’ with a favourites character?

I wouldn’t create an issue over it though, I’d prefer he ate without a fuss so I’d just wash his pyjamas...I personally think most 2 year old pyjamas need washing daily anyway as they tend to smell of wet nappy. Bleurgh.

Just wash his PJs. My two have never worn bibs (I tried every type going but they just flat out refused) and I always just made sure to have spare clothes or strip off whatever they were wearing if I didn't want it to get manky. Youngest is 2 and generally relatively tidy eater now but mistakes sometimes happen so I always have a spare top to hand just in case.

I have a friend who still puts a bib on her 4 year old before every meal and snack which I think is just bonkers - the kid is not a particularly messy eater, no additional needs and will be going to school next September so I can't fathom why she's kept it going so long.

I put a bib on my 6 year old still but not often now and only when it's a messy meal. And not when we're out

Just take them off or give him toast

Ah thank you, I thought I was just failing to see a simple solution due to Christmas stress and end of term lurgies combined! In the summer I did take clothes off but it's too cold now (open plan downstairs with lots of windows). Also I think we'd have a battle over taking clothes off. So I will resign myself to washing PJs a lot! Tempting to give toast but he does very often have sandwiches for packed lunch and I am not really imaginative enough to change that so could do with him eating something other than bread at breakfast. Thank you :)

My 2 year old is still in nappies, so we do new pjs every day whether they have breakfast all down them (usually) or not

Once night nappies are done then pjs can last for more than one night. My 4 year old often gets breakfast all over his too, so he usually a new pair most nights. I don’t mind as at least it saves his clothes

My 2 year old also refuses to wear a bib

Surprised at the responses. My 23mo went through a phase when he was around... 18mo? Of suddenly refusing the bib. It’s very simple- you wear the bib or you don’t eat. We lay out food, lay out the bib, offer both, male it clear that food only happens once the bib is on and taking the bib off means you don’t want any more. Maybe your child will go without breakfast once or twice, but being calm, consistent, cheerful should get you there pretty quickly. He now reminds me to get the bib if I forget! It’s pure powerplay, IMO...

Now, whether or not I would start this fight this close to Christmas... probably not, tbh. I’d wash the extra pjs til the 26th, and in the 27th start stamping this nonsense out. We also found that if it wasn’t the bib it was something else, or bib drama led in to other drama- bath issues/ refusal to get dressed etc. Tackling one fight head on seemed to sort out who is boss (parents!!) and helped with the rest of the tantrums. Good luck!!

*on the 27th; on to other drama. Autocorrect playing up!

You are absolutely right that it's power play/boundary pushing. In general I'm quite no nonsense about this sort of stuff and with my first I would probably have done as you describe (no bib no food). I think this one might miss a good few meals before deciding to wear the bib though.... Also I don't think my husband would persevere with it. I think maybe I need to concentrate on getting him sitting at the table rather than getting up and wandering around. Pick your battles!

Ha even when mine was wearing a bib she'd still get the Weetabix on her pyjamas!