Picky dinner guests (kids)

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

Your sister needs to realize that the world is not going to make exceptions for her children. That sounds mean (sorry bad mood) but its true. Um what do her kids eat for lunch at school?

Parents usually pack lunch for picky kids, don't they?

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

If they don't like it, they can not eat and be hungry.

Bingo.

In my house, there was no "picky eater." We called it "hungry."

I was the QUEEN of picky, but my mom made one meal and one meal only. I hated mushrooms in my spaghetti, but if dad and mom liked them then that's how mom made the dish and Little CG picked them out. I tried to play the "I won't eat it" game at age 7 or so and I was hungry as a mug laying in bed that night. I didn't have to eat it if I didn't want to but I would eat something else at the table or pick out the offending object. If it wasn't already going onto the table, it wasn't getting made.

Kids don't have to eat what makes them sick but "I won't eat hotdogs with the lines"? Srsly? Eat with your eyes closed if it bothers you that much.

ETA: There are exceptions: Kids with allergies, kids with OCD, or kids with a legitimate reason for not being able to "get past it" (e.g., Asperger's).

[ree-Xi]

I thought I'd update. So we're at my sisters. They were making burgers, dogs and chicken. I brought chips, cheetos and roasted potatoes. Oldest kid (10) didn't want any of what his dad was cooking on the grill, so my sister made him grilled cheese (he asked for two sandwiches). An hour goes by, and he has taken one bite. She begs him to take "2 more". He refuses, then puts the plate where the ever-food-stealing dog could get it (on the floor in front of the tv).

Sister is furious. Kid says, I want a burger instead. Kids 2 & 3 ask for hot dogs. Well, all the burgers & dogs have been eaten. So dad goes and cooks a few more. Sister makes plates for all the kids (who have now taken the whole bowl of cheetos into the living room). Kid #1 says "I don't like these burgers, they're too big." (They are normal burgers you get at the grocery store, on a regular hamburger bun. He wanted the flat, 4-oz McD's burger)). So my sister cuts it in half. (I suggested to squish it down but that wasn't helpful). Then he says "it looks half-eaten. I don't want it". And keeps watching tv.

Kids finish off the cheetos, none of them had eaten a lick of real food (except for #3 who had a hot dog and half a cucumber), but ran to the fridge for ice pops, which mom said "no" too, but they still ate them. THANK GOD I had not hosted, because #1 was in a foul mood.

We did end up having fun, everyone playing outside, basketball, football, playing on the swings, searching for birds' nests in the trees (the kids LOVED that), looking for fairies in the mushrooms on the tree line, coloring (my favorite)... overall it was a great day.

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

I thought I'd update. So we're at my sisters. They were making burgers, dogs and chicken. I brought chips, cheetos and roasted potatoes. Oldest kid (10) didn't want any of what his dad was cooking on the grill, so my sister made him grilled cheese (he asked for two sandwiches). An hour goes by, and he has taken one bite. She begs him to take "2 more". He refuses, then puts the plate where the ever-food-stealing dog could get it (on the floor in front of the tv).

Sister is furious. Kid says, I want a burger instead. Kids 2 & 3 ask for hot dogs. Well, all the burgers & dogs have been eaten. So dad goes and cooks a few more. Sister makes plates for all the kids (who have now taken the whole bowl of cheetos into the living room). Kid #1 says "I don't like these burgers, they're too big." (They are normal burgers you get at the grocery store, on a regular hamburger bun. He wanted the flat, 4-oz McD's burger)). So my sister cuts it in half. (I suggested to squish it down but that wasn't helpful). Then he says "it looks half-eaten. I don't want it". And keeps watching tv.

Kids finish off the cheetos, none of them had eaten a lick of real food (except for #3 who had a hot dog and half a cucumber), but ran to the fridge for ice pops, which mom said "no" too, but they still ate them. THANK GOD I had not hosted, because #1 was in a foul mood.

We did end up having fun, everyone playing outside, basketball, football, playing on the swings, searching for birds' nests in the trees (the kids LOVED that), looking for fairies in the mushrooms on the tree line, coloring (my favorite)... overall it was a great day.

O.M.G.

Those kids have complete control over their parents and they know it.

*shakes head*

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

I thought I'd update. So we're at my sisters. They were making burgers, dogs and chicken. I brought chips, cheetos and roasted potatoes. Oldest kid (10) didn't want any of what his dad was cooking on the grill, so my sister made him grilled cheese (he asked for two sandwiches). An hour goes by, and he has taken one bite. She begs him to take "2 more". He refuses, then puts the plate where the ever-food-stealing dog could get it (on the floor in front of the tv).

Sister is furious. Kid says, I want a burger instead. Kids 2 & 3 ask for hot dogs. Well, all the burgers & dogs have been eaten. So dad goes and cooks a few more. Sister makes plates for all the kids (who have now taken the whole bowl of cheetos into the living room). Kid #1 says "I don't like these burgers, they're too big." (They are normal burgers you get at the grocery store, on a regular hamburger bun. He wanted the flat, 4-oz McD's burger)). So my sister cuts it in half. (I suggested to squish it down but that wasn't helpful). Then he says "it looks half-eaten. I don't want it". And keeps watching tv.

Kids finish off the cheetos, none of them had eaten a lick of real food (except for #3 who had a hot dog and half a cucumber), but ran to the fridge for ice pops, which mom said "no" too, but they still ate them. THANK GOD I had not hosted, because #1 was in a foul mood.

We did end up having fun, everyone playing outside, basketball, football, playing on the swings, searching for birds' nests in the trees (the kids LOVED that), looking for fairies in the mushrooms on the tree line, coloring (my favorite)... overall it was a great day.

Yikes.

You know, I used to hate when my parents whooped my ass, buuuut...soooometimes...

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Yikes.

You know, I used to hate when my parents whooped my ass, buuuut...soooometimes...

Yes. This is a time when my parents would have said, "Do you want to eat, or do you want to get smacked?"

I accommodate for the special diets in my family (some low-carb items for the diabetics, onions/peppers on the side where possible for those who can't stomach them, and caffine-free drinks for my sister who gets heart flutters). But that's it. If you or your kid is a picky eater, you better bring your own food or stay home. I also don't allow children (or anyone, really) to mouth off in my home. I have no problem telling a relative's kid to watch his/her mouth. Luckily, my friends' children do not act this way.

Ree-Xi you have been more than gracious to this point (more than I would have been). I'm not sure if you have the kind of relationship with your sister where you can just say, "DO A BETTER JOB RAISING YOUR KIDS!" If not, maybe just try to limit the amount of times you invite her family over to your house. Family gatherings are supposed to be fun, not frustrating.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

Yes. This is a time when my parents would have said, "Do you want to eat, or do you want to get smacked?"

I accommodate for the special diets in my family (some low-carb items for the diabetics, onions/peppers on the side where possible for those who can't stomach them, and caffine-free drinks for my sister who gets heart flutters). But that's it. If you or your kid is a picky eater, you better bring your own food or stay home. I also don't allow children (or anyone, really) to mouth off in my home. I have no problem telling a relative's kid to watch his/her mouth. Luckily, my friends' children do not act this way.

Ree-Xi you have been more than gracious to this point (more than I would have been). I'm not sure if you have the kind of relationship with your sister where you can just say, "DO A BETTER JOB RAISING YOUR KIDS!" If not, maybe just try to limit the amount of times you invite her family over to your house. Family gatherings are supposed to be fun, not frustrating.

That's more than I'll do. If I am entertaining, I'll let folks know what I'm cooking. If they can eat it, come on by. If they can't, sorry -- we can meet for drinks or something after.

And I have no problem telling ANYONE (children or their parents) to watch him-/herself if I feel like I'm being disrespected in my home. My friends know this about me, though, and will make sure that their children (if I haven't met them yet) are well behaved.

The kids that I have met already know not to mess with me

[33girl]

These kids will get straight when they start being invited to their friends' houses for overnights. Being called "babies" because they won't eat what is there will be much more effective than anything the limp-noodle parents could ever try.

[aephi alum]

Interesting related article in today's NY Times:

Looking Past the Children’s Menu

The article is about a restaurateur in NYC who does not offer a children's menu at his restaurant. He'll make certain accommodations for children, such as offering appetizer portions of pasta as a main meal for small children, but there's no kid's menu offering chicken nuggets and burgers.

He also makes his children try a wide variety of foods at home. The children aren't always happy about it, but they aren't allowed to say no - and as a result, they are adventuresome about food. It struck me that the interview was conducted over dinner, and the reporter's own ~4yo twins (used to chicken fingers and fries) followed the example of the restaurateur's children (who are older) and ate what they were served.

I'm reminded (rather forcefully) of my own childhood. I ate what my mother cooked, whether I liked it or not. She would not cook a separate meal for me, unless she was cooking a very spicy curry, and even then all she would do was pull out a lightly-spiced portion for me before adding the hot spices to the main pot. Result: I'm a very adventuresome eater, even more so than my own parents - I eat sushi, which they won't touch with a barge pole (they won't even eat veggie sushi).

Edit: Also, when I was 10-11 years old, when my parents and I went out to eat and I was given a children's menu, I would say, "May I have the real menu please?" Maybe I came across as a junior bitch, but at that age I had no interest in connecting the dots with a crayon while waiting to get some chicken nuggets - I wanted real conversation and normal adult food.

[WCsweet<3]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Parents usually pack lunch for picky kids, don't they?

What I understood at the time was that they basically ate McDonalds and other things that would not be taken easily to school. I figured if the kids were picky enough they would have trouble taking lunches to school. My school also was super worried about allergies and we had a fairly large list of things we could not bring (there was one sad kid whom if he even was in the same room as a peanut he would have a reaction)