Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat
This to me is the real issue. Yes, kids that age (and older) can be picky eaters, and sometimes that pickiness can be exasperating. I know it first hand. And I think you have done what any thoughtful host or hostess does -- trying to know their preferences beforehand and have something they'll like.
The problem is not that they're picky eaters; it's that they're rude and your sister is letting them be rude.
If they don't like it, they can not eat and be hungry. If sister is so inclined, she can provide for them to eat something else before or after. But she should never allow a "yuck," an "I'm not eating this" or "I only eat McDonalds' burgers." Not acceptable.
I know younger kids sometimes have a instinctive need to say "yuck." I worked out a signal with mine. If they really needed to let me know how yucky they thought the food at someone else's house was, they could scratch an ear. I'd know what they meant. But under no cirumstances could they verbalize that feeling or indicate it with facial expressions.
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Co-Sign all of the above.
I was a picky eater as a kid, and I promise that it was not an issue of just wanting my way. To this day there are a wide range of food items that I just find unpleasant despite the fact that I truly do continue to "try them" for the sake of making life easier. However, I was taught very young to never be rude to my hosts and my parents would either feed me prior to an event, bring along snacks, or just tell me to eat what I could.
The issue is that your sister has not trained her old-enough-to-know better children how to be polite in a setting where there may be food that they don't enjoy. Also, at this age, needing chicken nuggets in a certain shape or hot dogs without lines does NOT constitute pickiness... it constitutes brattiness. There is a huge difference.
Do the parents allow the children to eat dessert after that type of behavior and so little intake of the actual meal? Yikes.
Anyway, you are by no means obliged to indulge these children anymore. A pre-schooler is one thing, but these are more than old enough now.