Dinnertime - Reclaimed!

So, I know that most if not all parents at some point or another have an issue with their kids not wanting to eat what is set before them for dinner.  I know this.  But really... my kids are driving me CrAzY at dinnertime. 

Here's the thing.... When we had kids I told my husband, "We are not going to be those parents that let their kids ask 'how many more bites?' and we give them a number and count it off for them, and then let them haggle that number with us until we reach an agreement that more matches what the kid wants than what the parent wants.  We are NOT going to do that!" 

But alas, for the past year or so.... we have been doing just that.

9 times out of 10 when I set dinner down in front of either of them the nerve-grating response that I get (in a high-pitched, whiny voice) is "I don't like that!"  Forget the fact that whatever "that" is, they have had before and I happen to know that they do in fact, like it.  Its just that the "that" is not the bowl of cereal or spaghetti-o's that they really wanted.

This all really started when we decided to start pre-bolusing Sugar Boy for his meals.  Its HARD to pre-bolus a toddler or preschooler.  You never know what they are going to eat!!!  So, when we realized that if we were going to get the after-meal BG spikes under control that we had to start pre-bolusing him, I started letting him choose what he wanted to eat for dinner.  Of course if he got to choose, then so did Sweet Girl... and more often than not, what they chose is NOT what I was actually making for dinner.  So I would make a meal for Sugar Daddy and I and the kids would have something totally different (usually cereal or spaghetti-o's).  Well, that was fine on the nights that it was just the four of us for dinner... even though niggling in the back of my mind was the thought that they really should be eating a healthier dinner than what they were having, but at least he was pre-bolused, right????

The real issues started to show, though, when we would have people over for dinner, and when I would ask the kids to actually eat what I was making for dinner as opposed to their cereal or spaghetti-o's.  That is when the above mentioned nails-on-a-chalkboard-high-pitched-whining would ensue. 

So, finally last night, I went into mean mom mode and laid down the law.  NO MORE PICKING AND CHOOSING WHATS FOR DINNER.  They will eat what I cook and they will eat the majority of their meat and veggie (I could care less if they skip the rice-a-roni) or there will be *GASP* NO DESSERT!!!!  And I am not arguing with them about it... if I have to encourage or cajole them into eating... *GASP* NO DESSERT!!!

There were tears.  There was, in fact, dessert with-held. But I am confident that tonight will be much better... and that a really good lesson was learned.

The sacrifice.... I am not going to be able to pre-bolus dinner like I would like to be able to.  Instead... last night we sort of bolused as we went along.  (This is where having a remote would be nice... get on that, Medtronic!!) 
Did he spike?  Yes.
Was it a horrible spike?  Not really. 
Was it worth it to feel like I was in control of dinner again? 

Absolutely.