[Sombra]

You people who don't spank... must have a world of patience.

I've put my foot down and today I decided that the children have to eat their lunch - I'm tired of them walking around with food in their hands, I'm tired of them taking hours and hours to eat, I'm tired of them leaving the table and getting mad if we take their food away, I'm tired of them asking for food all day and not eating it.. asking for juice and not finishing the cup of drink...

So, I've tied them into their chairs until they eat their food - and they've been there about 90 minutes now and are screaming hysterically

You know, a spank or two gets the job done in about 5 minutes, this takes patience and fortitude and a brain that doesn't get a headache. BLOOD PIERCING SCREAMS right now...

[Gentile]

i forget...are you against spanking? or just trying a new thing?

[Sombra]

OH NO, I'm a spanker for certain, and will continue to be a spanker, however... this is an issue that is long overdue to be dealt with..

I don't have the time to sit there and spank them for 10 minutes each mealtime to get them to eat, so, I left the table, but left them tied in. I got the dishes cleaned and some laundry done... while they screamed their heads off. Asher started to eat his finally, I praised him, he quit eating, Janney recognized that if she ate hers, she'd get the praise too.. she ate, and is down, Asher is still whining about it with two bites left.

[brigonia]

You could just tell them that if they get up they are finished. Take their food away and don't let them have anything else but water until the next meal or snack time. A few times of that and they should be eating well. That is how we have handled it and our children are good eaters. They don't get juice or snacks all day either. They get water between meals and one afternoon snack. I don't make mine clean their plates either. If they don't eat and get hungry then that is their problem. I'm a mean mom.

[MessianicHippie]

My kids have specific eating times. If they eat their whole meal and are hungry in between meals, then they may have a snack. If they choose not to eat when it is meal time, they eat again at the next meal time. When they get down from the table, the food is removed. They know the rules. Now, Zion we are easier on than this because, well.... he's 2! Now, with him he gets several reminders and he gets snacks in between because his belly is smaller and he gets hungry faster.

Don't know that it's about patience, but just learning a new way and understanding the child, their communication style and their abilities at their age. I think not spanking has given me more patience, but I don't think I had a lot of patience before we stopped spanking. Now, I don't feel as tried by them (most days).

[jmommy5.5]

Let's hear it for "mean mommies"! Back in our grandparents' day that was just common sense. I'm not going to make 16 meals a day and clean up after it all day long. If one of our kids truly dislikes something, for ex. raw tomatoes, they have to eat one bite of it every time it's served. Stuff like that, it isn't really mean it's just not catering to every whim of our children.

[LisaS]

How is the new eating thing going after a few days?

[Sombra]

It's an ongoing battle.. things like CHEWING are becoming an issue. I can sit there and spoon feed him, but how do you MAKE him chew? It's taking a long time to get in a meal! And I've gone back to using the wooden spoon - much quieter and much quicker. The hysteria the other day was just unacceptable.

But i'm not giving up on my efforts.

[Stillstanding]

That's the best effort yet Sombra........'The NOT giving up on your effort!" I am so proud of you and blessed by your honesty.

Love ya,
Amy