Most parents claim that they work for their kids. So whatever money they earn technically is for the kids. That's why when a child says they don't like food that has been cooked the parents will trade glances and one of them will ask the kid, "little boss, would you like . . . " And it ends in the kid dictating to the parents what s/he want to eat. Giving in to such demands will end up costing you quite a lot. To save some cash, parents MUST get their kids to eat the meal that has been prepared. If they [the kids] don't like it, they can go hungry. Sounds harsh but some lessons must be learned the hard way.
If I had children I would occasionally fix their choice or their favorite meals; but, I'm with you, this whole thing where parents today seem to go out of their way to supply their kids with exactly what they want every time they sit down to eat is completely backward. And it's not good for the kids. They aren't going to be able to have it their way forever. When they get out and leave home they will find that sometimes (maybe most times) they can't afford what they really want and they have to eat what they can afford. Or whatever they have in the kitchen. Plus, they will have to bend to please their spouses or others that they live with as well, sometimes.
I mean, I give my children some amount of leeway in terms of what they eat. My four year old doesn't like herbs, so I don't put herbs in his food. He doesn't like lasagne, so we don't really eat lasagne. But then, there is a wide enough range of cheap, healthy food that he WILL eat that I don't feel a little bit of 'giving in' to him in this way is doing any harm. For dinner today, we had rice, chicken and vegetables. Cheap and healthy.
I don't 'make' my kids eat anything, but I also don't make anything special for them. They get the same dinner the rest of us do. If they don't like it, they need not eat it, but they don't get anything else and they don't get dessert.
We do both equally with the kids in our family. It's usually not too much trouble for us to cook something extra since it would be just a small amount and half the time they even would just prefer instant meals anyway like ramen or canned food. I myself now eat a lot of foods that I used to dislike as a kid so I'm sure they will learn variety as they grow older and we sometimes encourage it anyway since we only give in half the time as I've mentioned.
When my family and friends come with their kids for lunch or dinner, I always make sure to create meals that are suitable for everyone. I like include a lot of herbs and spices in my creations, but I know that children prefer food that is only gently seasoned. Also, it's healthier for them, as they their digestive systems are more delicate. An all time favorite is baked vegetables with a nice garden salad. And for dessert a carob carrot cake with cashew ice cream.
I don't have any kids but my mom would always make me Hamburger Helper when I was younger. I knew that she really wanted me to eat when she would make it (it was one of those unspoken things). She hasn't made it in years, and I was asking her all through the holiday season to make some. Maybe one day I'll buy all of the ingredients and hopefully she will make it for me.
Yes. if my kid don't eat the mash potato and its sauces I've cooked that kept me up all night, she really have to eat it else she won't be eating anything. I have to force her to eat what I've toiled because her mother can't do it for her. After months of doing it, she eventually eat everyfood I serve. I guess its just it and she had to live with it. I sometime give what she demand but if I have to drive miles to get it, I'd rather not. She has to understand I'm also working.
I grew up in a house where my siblings were especially picky - and my mother being the wonderful person she was - would make basically several meals at once to accommodate for the one who didn't like the original meal plan - but I refuse to do that. When my child is old enough to eat regular food - she will eat what is cooked. I don't want to teach my children that it is ok not to try things.
You can't do this! if you do this it opens up the floodgates for future issues of wanting this when they get older. The only way you should be making special meals if they do something special in school and they have earned it as a reward. If they are sick and you want to make them feel better. However, if it's a normal Tuesday and you decide that the meal is chicken and they don't like it - that's what is being served - they eat or they don't. You offered a meal - they turned it down, when they get hungry they will eat. I went through this for a while with my 6 year old son. Took a few months to get him to "stop asking" but he doesn't ask for anything different anymore. He eats what is there and that's it. There is a learning curve and you can't be afraid to say no. You're the parent - not the friend. It's o.k to say no.
I do for birthdays, definitely. I tend to just cook things though that I know my kids will like and that are also healthy. It turns out, there are plenty of meals that cater to both adults and kids. *Though, I must admit it was a magical day when my children started eating salad... and liking it! Right now we are in soccer season, and my oldest 2 have practice on Monday and Wednesday nights. I do a special "kid meal" for all four of my kids on those nights and then do something else for me and my husband when everyone is home and in bed. It is kind of a fun thing we've been doing where I get to look forward to a semi-off night. Clean up is always really easy on these nights, and often, I'll do something really good but easy for us - like steak and a salad.
My child is quite young and has only began to eat solid foods within the past couple months. However, I find it to be quite easy to prepare meals that he can eat and that my husband and I can enjoy. For example, for dinner last night we had homemade tacos and nachos, and I has avocado available to add to our tacos. I simply cut up the avocado into small pieces for him to eat. Sometimes there are meals that are too spicy or too heavy for him to try yet, and so I will simply cook a side dish of steamed vegetables or pop a piece of toast into the toaster for him to go with some applesauce or banana slices. Simple foods that kids will enjoy take almost no effort to make and have available just in case.
I don't cook special meals but I also don't cook food I know the kids will not eat therefore saving money. If something is cooked that one of the kids does not want to eat they can fix their own, cereal or a peanut butter sandwich, none of that you don't have to eat this, I will fix you something else stuff in this house.
They aren't animals lol.. they deserve to enjoy their food as much as the rest of us. This "my way or the highway" stuff parents love to spew really gets me riled up. The child's opinion on their own lives seems to mean so little to anyone. "Don't like it? Starve!" lol woah. If my children don't like something I make, we find a way to make it taste better. Or they can make their own food after that. My first concern is their health.. and after that, of course I want them to have a choice and of course I want them to like what they eat. And people wonder why so many end up with food issues as adults lol.. food industry, marketing, dictator parents etc. Pretty much everything in our house is healthy, so if they don't end up eating the meal (leftovers for dad and I, no biggie) they can choose whatever they want.. I like giving them power over their own lives as much as possible, because I don't own them and I respect their feelings. For the most part, I know exactly what they like anyway, so it's not hard to have a menu we ALL enjoy.. because we're all human beings.. kids too lol.
I do all the cooking in our family. My kids are pretty good about eating whatever I cook. I make a point of making dishes that are flavourful and kid friendly. My kids will eat curries, stir fries, seafood, and the regular foods like hamburgers and hot dogs. I want my kids to know what good cooking tastes like and not processed foods so I cook most of our meals from scratch. They love to help cook in the kitchen as well. If kids help make the food, they are also more likely to eat the food they make. If there is something that is served that my kids don't like I will not make a special meal, rather they go and find something else themselves that's nutritious to eat. That usually is too much work so they'll eat what I make.
