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eating advice
Baby Girl, my 3 yr old that I am hoping to adopt (TPR Dec 23) is giving me a really difficult time with eating!
She is a quiet,stubborn child... ( I also have a tantrummer, also age 3) but when she decides she doesn't to do something she WONT do it! You could offer her the moon, or take away her most prized possesion and unless she happens to be in the "mood" it won't make a difference to her.
This is the pattern I see... she will eat fine for a day or so, then sudden, she will eat a bite of her food and just sit and watch to see my reaction. At first I would let her eat what she wanted then when the meal was over I would take away whatever she didn't eat, but now she is eating so little that I somehow have to get her to eat more. I know its a control battle and I refuse to engage.
My game plan for the last week or 2 has been this....
if she doesnt eat and I know that I have several hrs in my schedule, then she has to sit until she is ready to eat, I make it her problem, I dont get upset or bug her, just let her sit with her food. If I have to leave and she still hasnt eaten then the food goes in the fridge until the next meal. Today for example we had chili for lunch, which she normally loves... she ate maybe 3 bites, then left the rest on her plate and sat there for a good 2 hrs... but then I had to leave so the chili was put in the fridge, she chose pancakes for dinner... (family favorite) and now is still sitting here 2.5 hrs later and hasn't eaten a bite of the chili, which she has to eat before she can eat her pancake.
Any other advice or tips for me... she is a tiny petite little girl....
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03/08 licensed
11 foster kids in my first year as a foster parent
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
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