Serving your kids what they want during the yomtov meals

jewgal84

Sun, Oct 15 2006, 9:19 pm

SaraG wrote:

It's a toss up between the kids ruining the yomtov for me by kvetching, or for me catering to them which I see is bad chinuch.

The main problem is ON Shabbos or yomtov itself, if the kid decides he or she doesn't like how something came out...

In a situation where the food is made already and the circumstance doesnt allow you to make any other ie Shabbos, I would give the child the choice of making something permissable to do ie bread and butter, eat what we have so he won't go hungry or go hungry 'till he decides what he wants to eat. (Your child will not starve if he misses a meal..)

I don't think you have to get to the point where your YT has to be ruined due to kvetches from the kids.

Who's the mommy Wink

jewgal84

Sun, Oct 15 2006, 9:25 pm

Busymom- I agree with you by putting out all the foods on their plate and allowing them to choose which ones to finish.

SaraG- I don't see how catering to your childs needs is bad chinuch.

Until a certain age, his appetite isnt even built yet, so how can we expect kids to eat the foods we, adults, like.

Not all kids are experimental either (my nephew is 3 and he already loves sushi..)!

Each mom knows their individual child, will be aware of their particular tastes, appetites and not compare them to their siblings!

momof6

Sun, Oct 15 2006, 9:28 pm

chen wrote:

only1 wrote:

[At least with kids you can make them 1 or 2 things and thats it, with guests and other people theres always pressure to have such a selection "just in case".

Multiply 1 or 2 things by how many kids, and you get...?
Here's what we observed at a recent meal at a friend's house:

Shimmy eats only plain boiled chicken and orange juice. Rikky won't eat anything red and breaks out from citrus. Jed eats only Cheerios and bread-and-butter, Sammy has gone vegetarian (this week), Ayelet won't touch vegetables or fruit of any kind. Chava is on a diet and won't eat anything except diet soda and celery, and Sol, the dad, whose father owned a deli, refuses to eat "grass" and only likes cold cuts.

Guess whom I am not inviting over any time soon?

Very well written, as your posts always are!!!!

Rolling Laughter

I'm not sure which 1 was better, your 1st or 2nd post. Rolling Laughter

momof6

Sun, Oct 15 2006, 9:31 pm

Tefila wrote:

I have each of my son prepare a dish wether it's a salad that they like or a cake or soup etc (don't worry I still have what to cook LOL

)And this way they were part of it so they enjoy eating it.

Cheers

Great idea!!!!!!!!!

Otherwise we have days when each child gets to choose a supper and evryone has to eat it. Otherwise chen I am not so kind as to offer bread and butter I will just offer bread and water. Twisted Evil

Well my kids nor I have resorted to that method yet. As you can tell we eat what our kids eat. Though I try to incorporate an additional special dish my husbands loves at each yom tov meal.

jewgal84

Mon, Oct 16 2006, 5:15 pm

SaraG wrote:

Jewgal, do you have teenagers? Come over some Friday night. You'll see how it actually is.

As far as (bad) chinuch? Read an earlier post about the women whose mother babied her husband.

I come from a family full of teenagers and that's the way it is in my house. You don't like what's being served, tatse it first, make your own dish instead of complaining, or don't eat. If you had any particular intrests, tell mommy before YT.

Plus, I wouldnt fret esp bc they are teenagers and they are old enough to chip in if they don't like what's being served (as tefillah mentioned). In addition, if they choose not to eat, they are old enough to make their own choices and live by them. I wouldn't be worried if they skipped a meal either.

We're not talking about babying our children, are we? I though the topic was what your first post quoted:

Quote:

I was discussing this with a friend with all ages of kids.

You plan, shop and cook so you have a variety to serve, right?

So - what do you do if your kids only like a plain salad, or don't want to eat meat, only chicken?

Do you serve or offer "everything" at each meal, or do you expect them to eat what you have planned?

If my kids like plain salad, I'll make it for them, if they are old enough, I'll tell them to help.

If they detest meat, then I'll make a chicken dish as well. Instead of doing it all meat, I'd make 1/2 and 1/2.

Like I wrote earlier, I'd expect them to eat what is offered to them, knowing the dishes they like in advance and making it for them too. If they choose not to, then we'll know for next time not to make the same one or have them help out with another one.