Dinner Discipline

I have a friend who is a father of two and a chef. He blogs as The Culinarian about his food experiences. I've been reading the trials and tribulations of getting his kids to eat well. In particular is this post about dinnertime discipline.

My First son, Fuzzy Wuzzy, had great eating habits as a baby. My Daughter, String Bean, not so much. With much angst and confrontation at dinner time, String Bean has matured and relented with age and now eats whatever we put in front of her. Unfortunately, the last of her bad eating habits were shared with Fuzzy Wuzzy and now he won't touch anything that isn't 'easy meat' and carbs. My Second son, Stare bear, is doing well with mashed up family foods. We've never had to feed him a tin of baby food. Actually, he is quite the chirping baby bird when it comes to meal times. Just like his old man.

Given the Culinarians' success with his dinnertime discipline method, I decided to employ his method on my son. I started last night and plan to put down how things are going.

So, for dinner last night we had Lamb Ragout. The good wife, Lishy Dish, made this from scratch with white wine, gravy powder and select herbs. Lamb chops, carrot, pumpkin and beans were the bulk of the meal. Cooked half a day in the slow cooker and served on a bed of jasmine rice. In the end is was a good hearty stew with a mild and tasty flavour that is easy to chew up. No too 'out there' for a young palette.

Once it was ready to eat, I laid out the rules for the kids. You have to make your expectations clear ahead of events so your children don't start to think they are being singled out for torture when they act up, as is their inevitable want. I expected them to eat what they were given. They would get a chance to get used to the food but refusal to eat would result in immediate bed time.

Stare Bear ate his easily. He didn't finish his bowl but we always make more than he needs. Secretly, I think he is starting to hold out for the sweet stuff afterwards.

String Bean tucked in and slowly worked it down over half an hour. But only after having the first mouthful fed to her with a bit of cajouling. It was important to keep the TV off and the toys away so she doesn't get distracted. Every now and then we have to keep her momentum going by hand, but she eats it. That's the important thing.

Now to Fuzzy Wuzzy. As is his usual tack he takes the first mouthful following threats of no chocolate for dessert. From there he holds the food in his mouth without chewing it. After ten minutes and repeated warnings he is made to spit it out along with the mouthful of saliva that has developed. So that was it, the hammer came down.

He was straight off to bed, which means he was straight to the door crack whinging to be released. Eventually I had to unscrew his lightbulb. The door knob on on the inside has been removed for some time now (we get a lot of discipline issues with him).

Over the course of half an hour of begging Lishy Dish was getting worn down. We discuss whether this method is strict or over the line into cruel. I relent and agree to let him have another mouthful to try and prove himself. But he isn't coming out if he doesn't eat it quick. He doesn't eat it as I expected. But by now he has given up and has put himself to bed.

I was concerned he would be starving but this morning he didn't even show interest in breakfast. Even though I made him his favourite raspberry jam on toast he took two attempts to eat it.

Tonight shall dictate the level of success. I'll let you know tomorrow.