what do your kids eat when with grandma?

[Vaquitita]

my mom watches my 10mo ds 3 days a week while i work. he's never eaten out of a bottle well, so my mom has always given him more food than i do simply to get some milk in him. banana w/bmilk, oatmeal w/bmilk, etc. i've tried talking to her about what foods i prefer him to eat (meat, veggies, avocado), and even made and froze some for her (chicken with bone broth, carrots with raw butter). but she doesn't feed those to him very much. instead she gives him oatmeal and fruits and jarred baby food (it is earths best organic babyfood at least). today she gave him pinto beans from el pollo loco. not that oatmeal and beans are bad food -if she would soak them. but i don't want to bring that up, because she'll think its too much work. plus she doesn't plan ahead. which is i think a big part of why she feeds him the stuff she does, because he's hungry and its quick and available. even thawing the food i've made seems to be too much for her. i'm feeling a bit frustrated about it. i end up giving him food less often then he wants it so that i know he's getting as much breastmilk as possible to help make up for the stuff she gives him. what do i do?

rebekah

[Artmama]

I have to admit that I have kind of given up, to a certain extent. My MIL isnt with her that much, but just could never even get what I am trying to do at all, as her diet is all about processed foods. I just try to pick my battles, and make sure she knows I want it to be as much organic as possible, and I do not try to really educate her beyond just trying to make sure all the stuff I have in the house is at least not processed crap. She will never never never get it, and takes any thing I try to teach her as a veiled critiscm of her own parenting back in the day of canned spaghettios.
I just try to make my dd's diet as good as possible when I can control it, and pick my battles.

[mumto2]

How about sending him a little lunch box with the food that you would like him to have for the day. If you pre-prepare as much as possible, she should only have to re heat or mash at the most.

If you send the food each day, you will also know how much he is eating. You can always say that you are concerned about allergies, trying to structure his meals, maintain continuity, introduce new foods in a particular order or whatever will fit your situation.

Good luck

[JaneS]

Or batch cook for her to reheat for the week.

DS only eats what I prepare for him, but we are also a very special case.

However, there has been times my parents (and DH! grrrrr) have given him stuff he was not supposed to have. I just have to keep drilling it into their heads early and often.

[volcaniclava]

yeah, Alittle different cause my kids are older, but when they are with my dad and step mom, its hard. DD age 8 ids going through a whole food trial and error time and they just dont get it. they try, and that helps me feel better but 9 pm milkshakes just seem to happen even though she has a lactose issue - I dunno - they are the ones who have to deal with the late night diarreah!!! ) I laugh out of exasperation) They hve gotten so much better that I have to cut them some slack, its really hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

[Alkenny]

Mine are older too (and she won't watch my 2 year old, whole other issue), but they pretty much eat JUNK when they're with her. At least fast food, or some sort of buffet everytime.

[newcastlemama]

Volcaniclava-my mom swore that ds (2) was not allergic to milk..so they would feed him ice cream....then later he would break out into a rash and not sleep. They did not believe me because he does not have an intantaneous reaction.: Now I tell them that if someone gives hom milk products ds goes home wioth them for 24 hours

My mother's husband actually debates me about our family's eating habits over dinner table and said that I am influencing ds...Well, I hope so! :

OP-If I was in your situation I would probably pack the luches since dc is with her 3 days a week and the food issues are really bothering you. I am also very picky about what ds eats. The problem is, when ds gets a lot of sweet things all he will ask for when he gets home is fruit and cookies..not good when I am trying to get him to eat more meat and veggies!

Jennifer