I suppose it isn't AP to

[cinnamonamon]

tie my children down & stuff food down their throats, huh?


Seriously, they won't eat worth beans & it's making me insane. Because they wake up in the middle of the night hungry & cranky. They eat breakfast & sometimes even lunch fine, but dinner is a big fat "I don't want that" or eating a tiny bit (like the pieces of meat out of the spaghetti).


Or maybe normal toddler/preschooler actions are making me insane as we are on day 4 of dh being on his business trip. I'd love to shove them in carseats & get out of the house, but they have screeching fits when I take shower & I won't leave the house when I haven't showered in 2 days!

Does anyone else ever feel like ripping their hair out & running away? I think I just need a break. Of course the local community center's "jungle gym" is from 10 - 12, so that's out... I suppose I could go to the mall with them -- I'll just have to curb my impulse to shop; I tend to buy (mostly little "necessary") things when I'm stressed and we are beyond broke. We can't even afford lunch out, really, but at this point I don't care.


Hmmm...maybe I'll bribe them with a movie, then sneak to the bathroom...

[~member~]

Sorry your day is not going well.

[RiverSky]

Do you have a friend who could come over and watch the children while you shower? Perhaps even while you take a nap?

[traceface]

can you give them dinne-type foods at breakfast and throughout the day and then give them oatmeal or pancakes or whatever they like a lot at night so they won't wake you up in the night?

[Benji'sMom]

My almost 3yo doesn't eat much for dinner either. He eats tons for breakfast, okay lunch, not much dinner.

[Lisa85]

This doesn't help with the food issues, but when dh isn't home to help a lot and we're broke we head to the mall to play in the play area (and leave the money at home).

Do they like their baths at all? Maybe you could take a 'family' bath?

Maybe serving breakfast for dinner, letting them decide what to cook and then have them help you prepare and cook it.

[newmommy]

I have been there. It's hard when you don't have a back up support person to give you a break when you need it. When DH has to go out of town, I have little panic attacks because I can't hand DS off on him while I get me time and he feels the same about me.

[cinnamonamon]

Thanks ladies... I ended up taking a shower while my 2 year old screeched "mama no shower!" and cried for 3 minutes. Then I packed them up & went to the mall. We had Chicken Teryaki & fried rice (which they actually eat) and I had some California Rolls... Aiden had 3...1 to drop on the floor & 2 to rip into pieces & eat the insides out of.

Then we did the play area, bookstore (train table), and waved (fearfully) at Santa... I found a twenty in my wallet so I didn't feel so guilty about the eating out, and we got a lil cheapo toy at Target (attached to the mall) before having some Taco Bell (yea, really NFL today, huh). Before we left I discovered Aiden's pacifier was falling apart, so back to Target we went for a new one, then some popcorn in the cafeteria there to use up the last of our time before I could be sure he'd fall asleep in the car.

I got to knit a bit while they played, so I'm feeling a bit more calm, but my older son REALLY needs to go to sleep now. I think I'll finish out my stellar mothering day by wrapping him up on the couch in a blanket & turning on a movie while I sit next to him & knit. If I'm lucky he'll fall asleep watching it...



Thanks for food ideas... really I think they're just too busy then (almost immediately, it seems) too tired to want to eat anything in the evening. I'm going to work on feeding them before 6 to see if that will help. It means I'll have to cook 2 dinners, though. Or cook at lunch for them & feed them lunch stuff at dinner. Some of their fussiness is picking up on my hopelessness with cooking... we have the same things over & over & they get as bored with them as we do, I think.

Ah well, we'll see... off to start a movie...

[oceanbaby]

Snack plates. We almost always have snack plates sitting out for the kids to graze on. That way if they don't end up liking dinner I don't worry about them being hungry.

And most definitely a movie so you can take a shower. But then I am manic about my showers. It is the only non negotiable for me. I can't remember the last time I missed a shower - maybe when I went camping 10 years ago!

[soygurl]

Glad you got out of the house! Sounds like the day turnd out ok...
And I agree owith oceanbaby for future food issues. Snack Trays. Here's a great thread:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=257621

[Milkymommy]

My dd had very simliar eating habits when she was about 3-4. I found that giving her a bedtime snack really helped. She would pick at dinner and then be so hungry at bedtime a couple of hours later. It about drove me nuts.

So I started giving her a string cheese or yogurt or some cereal and milk right before bedtime. Just a small snack and it really helped.

[Milkymommy]

My dd had very simliar eating habits when she was about 3-4. I found that giving her a bedtime snack really helped. She would pick at dinner and then be so hungry at bedtime a couple of hours later. It about drove me nuts.

So I started giving her a string cheese or yogurt or some cereal and milk right before bedtime. Just a small snack and it really helped.

It helped for me that it was "part of the routine."

[GooeyRN]

Im sorry you are having a rough time. I wish I could help.

[cinnamonamon]

I love that snack thread! I'm going to do that in the next couple days...

I guess I need to let go more with the food thing. I just get so sick of making dinner & not having them eat it -- then hours later them being hungry when they need to sleep. Anywho, I'm "filled with purpose" today -- I'm going to clean, clean & clean some more, and then we are (hopefully) going to pick up a Christmas tree. DH will be home tonight or early morning & will set it up in it's stand tomorrow so we can decorate it a bit before the birthday party.

The boys are being mellow today, and have eaten a decent breakfast. We really just needed a change of scene, I think. Or maybe I did & they were picking up on my craziness.

I'm so glad ya'll are here -- I would go totally insane if I didn't have someone to vent to, ya know? The only people who can watch the boys live far away or work during the day, so I'm out of luck there. I may try to hire a mamas helper this spring when money gets better (dh just got a new job -- woo hoo!).

[AmyAngel]

I second the bedtime snack! When I was in college I kept two kids for a whole week full time (at their home) while their parents (good friends of mine) were on a trip - the kids were 2 and 5. The parents told me before they left to make sure the 2 year old got a snack right before bedtime, and to offer one to the 5 year old. It was usually just yogurt or a bit of cheese, maybe some crackers - just enough to help them not be hungry in the night. The 5 year old usually didn't want one, but the 2 year old happily ate the whole thing every time, I think he really needed it even though he was usually a fairly good eater at dinner.

I've heard having snacks around that the kids can get and eat themselves (like the snack trays mentioned above) can really help, too.

[USAmma]

Try getting the book Child of Mine. It has some great words of wisdom about picky toddlers and children, as well as recipes. I saw it in the LLL library.

[lalaland42]

It may not be AP but the same thought has occurred to me.

We went on "vacation" last week and after a week of DD not napping, she fell asleep in the carseat. I, of course, was meeting DH *inside* the mall and he was without a cell phone. I briefly (2 nanoseconds) thought about leaving her there to sleep and running in before I sighed and woke her up. On the way back to grandma's house with DD awake and singing in the backseat I heard on the radio that some woman left her 2 y.o. with the valet and took her dog into the store.

It sounds like your day went pretty well, all and all. And hey, you didn't leave your kids with the valet so you are doing pretty good in my book.

Oh, and the snack tray saves us on days that are hairpulling.