[meshsgrl]

Say nothing about her not finishing when you serve the ice cream, just assume she's too full for ice cream since she didn't finish. Don't allow her to whine until you give in either. Stick to your guns. One night of being left out won't kill her. But it will make her think harder about finishing her food next time. Also, don't allow her to "change her mind" about being full. And tell her you feel bad, that the night you decide to have ice cream, she didn't finish her meal....

tried this... doesn't work... she gets upset for a moment but then doesn't care!

I don't know how to help your child eat if she claims to not be hungry, but with my experience, I'd offer her other choices of food

See she says she is hungry, until I tell her that she can have the rest of her previous meal whenever she wants... then suddenly she isnt hungry anymore.

It was also a familiar battleground for her to let me know she was in charge

Right now I dont believe her health is immediate danger, but it is getting close to that... but I think with her control issues it will become a concern.
I guess I am afraid that if I let her get away with just eating what she wants when she wants, eventually she will want more of a battle and completely refuse to eat.... for example... if I let her get away without eating the chili, (which she likes) and eat the pancakes, next she wont be eating the pancakes... because honestly its not about liking food or not, its about control. Which is why I kinda let her get away with eating whatever she wanted in a set time then dinner was over at first, but then she wasn't eating enough...

She sat up until 11:30 last night, then she was so tired that I gave her a choice of giving up movietime this morning or eating her dinner... I know I shouldn't give in, but she looked so TIRED and when she gets that tired there is no talking to her!!