Does anyone else have this problem?

[hallenbeckfamily]

Ok dinnertime 2nite-bbQ steak ,noodles and corn. Chris says he hates this dinner and is not eating. BG check b4 dinner 78. I have always followed this rule in my house at meal time- THIS IS NOT A RESTAURANT,WE ALL EAT THE SAME THING, i AM NOT MAKING 5 DIFF DINNERS,LUNCHES ECT. However,he's low. I wait a bit trying to enforce this is dinner,eat it. Didn't work so after all this I said he could have a tuna sandwich and a fruit roll up. He wanted pizza, I said no. But he still got a diff dinner than others. I want to make sure he eats and fixes the low but I don't want him to start pulling this game on me to get what he wants either. Know what I mean? What do you guys do if anyone else has this same issue? I hope I don't sound harsh, but its the way its always gone in the house. What to do now? Whats the right way to handle it?Jennifer

[sam1nat2]

In my opinion you handled it fine. I also refuse to be a restaurant, however I'm a picky eater and can relate to not wanting to eat something just because it is in front of me.
When we've had similar issues, I've done the same--you can have a sandwich, I'm sure not going to make something "exciting" but it will cover the carbs you bolused for.

[Tori's Mom]

In my opinion you handled it fine. I also refuse to be a restaurant, however I'm a picky eater and can relate to not wanting to eat something just because it is in front of me.
When we've had similar issues, I've done the same--you can have a sandwich, I'm sure not going to make something "exciting" but it will cover the carbs you bolused for.

Ditto. We don't make it kid's choice but I will offer one other option then she can choose the original choice or MY other option I give her. I keep that bag of popcorn chicken in the freezer for a reason!! :D

[hallenbeckfamily]

Good to know I did ok! My problem was - my other 2 kids have always eaten what was for dinner and usually Chris as well. I didn't want a new trend to start, but he was low so I MADE THE CHOICE as to what else he could eat. Wasn't sure if this was right,thx for the supportive info!! Jennifer

[zimbie45]

I agree you did the right thing.. A few ways i also try to handle it .. ( keep in mind every situation can be diffrent, and result in diffrent things.. )
My rule at our house is "you get what you get and you dont throw a fit..."

I do try to keep my kids in mind when cooking, and make things i know i wont battle alot from... Like my kids dont like tacos, hubby and me love them.. I make taco's and quesadillas.. and rice ect.. works great same basic meal... I grew up in a house where my aunt raise 4 kids, while single.. I was an extermley picky eater.. so bad she did make a meal for every one else then one for me or went out and got me mcdonalds... I had a tramatic life befor living with her.. so that was her solutions to keep me happy... I understand why she did it.... ANY WAY ( off topic)

SO what i do in that situation is give glucose tables, Charlzie loves them... I know her low will get fixed, then i can resolve the dinner situation and try to end up with a resonable solution while we are all eating the same meal...

hope this helps

[Momof4gr8kids]

You did great.

You have to treat the b/g either way, and if he wont eat dinner then it is always good to have a back up.

I have the same policy at my house. I usually use a tablespoon of honey, and that is all she gets (unless she needs more carbs to bring her up) if she wont eat. The problem with D is that it leaves it open for our kids to try and manipulate it to get their way, and turn mom into a short order cook. So I'd say that by not giving into what he wanted you did an awesome job.

Take care, Jamie

[sammysmom]

The same rule applies in my house too. You did a good job. I think that I am the mean mom. I would have given my son a couple of glucose tabs (not his favorite low treatment) and that would be it!! I would make sure he came up to an acceptable bg level and then leave him alone to decided if he wants what I made for dinner.......you are much nicer than I am!!!

shannon

[MLH]

My dh motto is "I do not negotiate with food terrorists!":cool:
When I am making something someone does not like I try to include something she likes. Everyone eats the same thing. I am not a short order cook! You did fine!

[lynn]

"Then don't eat." I say that most days. With seven kids there is no way I can make a meal that everyone will love. We have the rule that you don't have to eat the part that you don't like. Wait, I take that back. Usually you need to try one bite. Eventually most things end up being liked that way.
It's tough when diabetes takes over dinner. I was getting sucked into getting Nathan different things often because I needed him to eat. Now, he gets a glass of milk or something. Does Chris really hate the whole meal you made? I will admit that I make sure there is at least SOMETHING Nathan likes every night.
When Nathan is low he gets very irrational. Is it possible Chris was feeling that way? I know he was super low, but sometimes the feelings seem to be there anyway. Maybe with a bit of sugar he would have been more reasonable.
Diabetes makes us question everything we do sometimes.
Lynn

[caspi]

I, too, refuse to be a short order cook. If I prepare a meal that I know that Cameron has eaten before and liked and he says he doesn't want it, then I tell him I'm sorry as it is a long time before breakfast (or lunch or dinner - you get the idea! :rolleyes:) If there is a low involved, I treat the low with OJ or tablets.

Children are going to test us, D or no-D!

[Hollyb]

I agree with not being a short-order cook but as a picky eater myself AND shy child I know that it's not always just whim with kids -- I had a horror as a child of being forced to eat something I didn't like in public or at a neighbour's and ending up gagging and/or vomiting at the table in front of everybody...

With all our kids, we made dinner, didn't force them to eat it, and allowed them to have a simple alternative (like a peanut butter sandwich) if they didn't like it. As soon as they were old enough, they were invited to make their own sandwich. If we were making something we KNEW the kids didn't like, yes we would make two -- ie baked salmon for the grownups, baked pork chops for the kids, no extra trouble really.

So far, they have all "matured" into enthusiastic eaters. My middle son is vegetarian, but eats almost anything within those limits. Aaron is a more adventurous eater than either of his brothers at that age -- about the only thing he's still not keen on that we make him an alternative for is fish.

[Amy C.]

As my son is an only child, we didn't have the problem of potentially having different rules for different children.

When Philip was younger and had to have a set amount to eat at a meal, but didn't want to eat what was offered, he would make a choice of something else that was already packaged - like a Nutrigrain bar.

When he was on Lantus/Humalog, he could eat what he wanted as we gave the shot after dinner at first and later, he would supplement with packaged foods.

Now he eats what he wants and generally eats what is cooked. It seems like we stopped cooking the foods he doesn't like to eat.

This may be a phase Chris is going through.

[hold48398]

OMG Mia would have been DROOLING over this dinner LOL. I am actually pretty strict around food and meals (probaby the European in me), and I think you did a fine job handling the situation. I really try to make a nutritious and yummy meal for the kids, and I sometimes give them a choice between two items (like veggies) before I cook them, which is easier done with two kids than for example...Lynn's seven :). Here are my table rules:

- If you don't like it, don't eat it but there isn't anything else until next meal/snack

- If you haven't finished the whole plate yet, don't ask for more of something else (like leaving the vegetables but wanting more noodles)

- You may have a second serving if you are still hungry after the first plate is finished. I'd rather serve two small plates than one huge one.

- Respect your appetite. Stop when you are full.

- If you get off the table, you are finished and the plate will be taken away. You may not get off the table until you are excused!

- I always ask if their appetite is small, medium or large before making their plates and adjust their portions accordingly. Generally speaking, there is no dessert unless they finish their main meal, or at least most of it.

As far as treating a low, that is an entirely different ball game. I try to seperate treating the low from eating, which is much easier to do on the pump now. We treat lows with glucose tabs, not snacks or meals.

I know, I am a stickler with meals LOL.

[selketine]

My older one is the picky one - William so far hasn't been. But recently (after whatever the heck happened to him last month with running low and not needing insulin) he seems unwilling to eat some things he really used to like (like rice - he just won't eat it).

I try to have a sufficient stand-by carb (similar to the sandwich idea) that he can have. Or my older one. Sometimes I do modify the dinner a bit with something somewhat different for them and us. My husband is actually pickier than EITHER of the kids frankly - so then I'm really stuck. I'd be happy eating nothing but vegetables. He'd be happy with nothing but meat!

I wonder if anyone has a spouse that just won't eat anything but a limited selection of vegetables (green beans, salad, carrots and potatoes and that is it! He will pick out bits of things he doesn't like in a mixed dish - I kid you not.). It does make it hard to enforce the rules when one parent won't eat his broccoli!;)

Sweet Kids is a whole book dealing with this kind of issue with diabetic kids - maybe I should get it out again and refresh my memory!

[liasmommy2000]

I wonder if anyone has a spouse that just won't eat anything but a limited selection of vegetables (green beans, salad, carrots and potatoes and that is it! He will pick out bits of things he doesn't like in a mixed dish - I kid you not.). It does make it hard to enforce the rules when one parent won't eat his broccoli!;)


OMG, my dh is the world's pickiest (adult) eater I think! I could go on and on, but I will spare you. Honestly, I don't cook for him anymore, I gave up. He's responsible for his own meals and since he hates cooking, he eats out most of the time or just has a bagel, canned soup or cereal.

[MrsBadshoe]

They know where the cereal and milk is at my house....but due to the fact that I have 4 picky eaters our dinner lives are very very boring...

[Twinklet]

Our rule also has always been that everyone eats what Mom cooks. Period. Now I don't make liver and onions or things they truly hate, but I want my kids to learn to eat all kinds of healthy foods and I don't have time to be a short-order cook.

So when Emily is low at dinner and is fussing about the food, I tell her to take some glucose tabs to bring her BG up. Then we deal with the food issue.

But then again, maybe I'm just a mean mom! :p