Can I tell you what is driving me demented at the moment? The ongoing and everlasting chatter at our dinner table. Except this is not the normal type of chatter that you could expect. Oh no. This kind of chatter is the chatter that only a 5 year old could come up with as a tactic to avoid eating anything he doesn't fancy (in other words almost everything that isn't crisps or chocolate). He has decided that talking means he doesn't have to eat. So now he talks and talks and talks. Usually he doesn't actually want to say anything: 'Mummy, I just want to ask - er - um' glancing around the room desperately looking for something - anything to ask 'do they have walls at school?'.
Now I'm a big fan of conversation at the dinner table. Building blocks of the family and all that. But after an hour of procrastinating all the other plates have long since been cleared. Those still at the table are resting their heads on it, waiting for the great opinion former to decide to have a bite of cottage pie.
So we have a new anthem for dinner. It gets sung when dinner has gone on for long enough. And just occasionally, to help me retain a modicum of my sanity, I get to do some of the dance moves as well. Yes, at our dinner table all we need is A Little Less Conversation and quite a lot more Action, preferably of the eating carrots variety. Bring it on Elvis:
Oh yes, my two have tried this tactic too. I sometimes feel like screaming
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ReplyDeleteGenius idea! I am being driven insane by L wittering on about ANYTHING to avoid the next spoonful... Even more irritating when it's precisely the meal she ASKED FOR!! (sorry about the shouting but I'm guessing you'll know how I feel!)
ReplyDeleteI have an 8 year old who does that at bedtime!!Jen
ReplyDelete(Apologies, I know you linked in with me for a meme, I have been away and will catch up, I promise)
Something that apparently worked wonders for me when I was fussing over dinner was taking away the plate when everyone else had finished. And no food until the next meal.
ReplyDeleteDaughter will eat but at 3 1/2 still insists to be spoonfed. And because I want dinner over instead of a struggle, I always oblige. Doh.
Sigh. Another thing to look forward to. I'm getting pretty stressed already. I'm questioning my sanity these days...
ReplyDeleteWe have similar problems here. Littleboy 1 is also famous for announcing he is full after about 2 mouthfuls, but then going to the fridge to look for watermelon (his second course of choice at the moment).
ReplyDeleteThat is funny! I haven't yet reached that stage with mine but I look forward to it.
ReplyDeleteMy lot will eat anything at the mo, thank god. In fact the youngest almost always bites his finger every time he has a sandwich, such is his speed of shoveling it in.
ReplyDeleteWhat cruelty is inflicted on children in the name of five a day.
ReplyDeleteUg. We have the same problems. But one handy dandy solution I picked up from a previous client of mine was using a product called Fink Cards. They are conversation cards with questions on them like: if you could have any super power what would it be and why? Kids love them. So I meter them out. I only ask the next question if they have three bites etc. It's still a long and arduous process but it works. By the way, I think we're meeting on Friday!
ReplyDeleteOh my God...my son still does that and he's 11! Guess it's something they don't grow out of...
ReplyDeleteMH - it is soooo frustrating isn't it! Gah!
ReplyDeletePlanB - I know EXACTLY where you are coming from! My sympathies!
Jen - Keeps going until they are 8? I will have gone insane by then!
Cartside - They get you where you are vulnerable and liable to give in to them. Doh indeed, but I still occasionally still have to spoon feed my 5yo.
TM - my sanity is loooooong gone.
NVG - Yes, exactly.
ebabeelikes - don't look forward to it - hope it bypasses you!
goonerjamie - swop children?
ReplyDeleteOwen - mine consider it cruelty to be removed from the Bosnian Grannies and their never ending stash of chocolate.
HOM - We are! We did! Will have to give these Fink card things a go.
Mummmeeee - 11! Nooooo I'll have gone insane by then.