I appreciate there are a few threads around this topic but it's driving me bonkers! DH had another arguement about it last night.
I've read Meals Without Tears, scoured websites and everything says the same thing:
Eat as a family - we do
Switch off the TV - we do
Make meal times happy - we do (except when things come to a head)
Offer a small variety - we do
Be positive about what we are eating - we do
Don't offer something different if she won't eat it - we don't. She just gets fruit and yoghurt
Don't bribe - we don't (unless it's something I know she likes eg, eat some of the bits off your pizza toast before more toast - which she
does)
Don't reward a pudding for eating a second course - we don't
She doesn't snack
We've changed plates, cutlery, she now sits on a chair rather than her high chair, we put just a little on her plate so she's not overwhelmed. Just about everything we can think of. But she just squirms, whinges, puts her head in her hands, announces that she doesn't like it and maybe just maybe she'll move it around her plate.
So, this not trying "phase" has gone on pretty much for a year and a half now. In that time, the only additional thing she will eat is tomato soup, which she finally tried a couple of weeks ago.
Giving her something we know she likes with a meal is really hard as she eats:
Spag bol
Beans on toast
Eggy Toast
Tomato Soup
Pizza toast
Tuna sandwiches
Bread
Wraps
Tomatos
Cucumber
Ketchup
Cereals
Fruit
Yoghurt
Croissants
Very occasionally chips
And that's it!
DH thinks we should be tougher on her and "make" her eat what's in front of her (it's down to discipline and how he was brought up) whereas everything I read says don't do this. Plus she is more than capable of eating nothing for a meal so I don't think it's an arguement he can win.
I'm really trying to stay with the "it won't last forever" mantra but really. JUST TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!