My 17 month old is draining us

[firsttimeclothmomma]

Originally Posted by Kabuki24 OP: We have the exact same kid I swear! Totally a different kid at daycare too! I'm so subbing this one.

Hah, we should have playdates.

Originally Posted by brittrblackwell Message boards or forums.

Duh. thanks

[MamaLump]

I'm convinced that the reason my son does better at daycare than at home is peer pressure. I have recently confirmed this when he got a Curious George sick monkey for Christmas. If I got Monkey to do something (and Monkey is MUCH more agreeable than DS ) then it has been soooooo much easier to get DS to do it. It was working so well that I added Elephant. Twice today I got DS to sit on the potty after Monkey and Elephant sat on the potty. (Once DS was fully dressed and the second time he didn't use it, but I'm just introducing the concept, not really training). Just saying, peer pressure can be a good thing! (Although I am getting tired of having to put bibs on all three at every meal!)

[Rdesonia]

I also have a DD your age. She likes baby Einstein videos and I let her watch those. She also likes blocks, balls (She loves to throw a ball and chase after it!), her pull back car (one you pull it and it goes forward a few inches/feet), and her Ruff House (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../chrisficti-20 ). She ignores dolls, stuffed toys, and shape sorters/stacker toys.
She loves a pacifier. She Doesn't suck on it... They are the gumdrop kind and she chews on them. I freeze them for her.
I would ask what exactly the schedule is at the DCP and try to stick to it on the weekends. Sometimes kids do better in structured environments and changes in routine throw them for a loop.
I offer all foods we are eating. I don't give alternative food unless it is something she can't eat. Eventually a kid will learn to eat what is offered. If they act hungry, I will re-offer what they didn't eat instead of giving them what they want. (Basically if you keep giving alternative food, you are training your kid that if he refuses then he gets what he wants. )

[doodah]

Originally Posted by mibarra Plus the power of peer pressure at daycare is amazing. If all the other kids are eating their greenbeans/going to sleep/etc then it MUST be a good idea!

absolutely! the herd mentality works wonders here. everyone loves to sit at the table to eat together. its so much cooler than eating at home with mom and dad LOL

[luvsviola]

Originally Posted by firsttimeclothmomma Thanks -- but what's MBs?? So did you just not worry about the fact the she NEVER ate a vegetable? For months? lol And YES to the napping early. Drives me nuts, but those days he's in bed by 6:15.

I continue to offer the vegetables at every meal, and always give her as many fruits as she will eat, esp ones with bright colors--blueberries, strawberries, manderin oranges, banana, anything that has different vitamins than chicken nuggets or hot dogs or frozen meatballs. My DD2 has subsided on blueberries, cheese sticks, nitrate/nitrite free hotdogs, and macaroni and cheese for about 3 months. Some days, she'll eat broccoli or cooked carrots, but some days she won't.

What 3 years of feeding therapy with my middle child (heroin baby with a G-J tube) has taught me is that any time you make eating a power struggle, you are going to lose. Meals should be positive and the parents should offer the foods, and model eating it, talking about how good it is, how fun it is, dipping it in ranch, ketchup, cheese sauce (whatever dips the kid will tolerate) and over time, curiosity will get the better of the kid. Over time, if you model good eating habits, your child will get there. We are told to use a divided plate with a protein (yogurt counts), a veggie/fruit, and a starch. One of the foods should be something you know kiddo will eat. One should be a target food you are working on, and one should be a middle ground food.

Then, as kiddo likes things, you branch out from there. So, for example, if you can get kiddo to eat broccoli with cheese sauce, you might progress to broccoli with ranch, fresh broccoli with ranch, and cauliflower with cheese sauce. Change it up slightly a bit at a time til you can get kiddo eating lots of foods. The concept is called Food Chaining, if you want to google it.

[firsttimeclothmomma]

Originally Posted by luvsviola I continue to offer the vegetables at every meal, and always give her as many fruits as she will eat, esp ones with bright colors--blueberries, strawberries, manderin oranges, banana, anything that has different vitamins than chicken nuggets or hot dogs or frozen meatballs. My DD2 has subsided on blueberries, cheese sticks, nitrate/nitrite free hotdogs, and macaroni and cheese for about 3 months. Some days, she'll eat broccoli or cooked carrots, but some days she won't. What 3 years of feeding therapy with my middle child (heroin baby with a G-J tube) has taught me is that any time you make eating a power struggle, you are going to lose. Meals should be positive and the parents should offer the foods, and model eating it, talking about how good it is, how fun it is, dipping it in ranch, ketchup, cheese sauce (whatever dips the kid will tolerate) and over time, curiosity will get the better of the kid. Over time, if you model good eating habits, your child will get there. We are told to use a divided plate with a protein (yogurt counts), a veggie/fruit, and a starch. One of the foods should be something you know kiddo will eat. One should be a target food you are working on, and one should be a middle ground food. Then, as kiddo likes things, you branch out from there. So, for example, if you can get kiddo to eat broccoli with cheese sauce, you might progress to broccoli with ranch, fresh broccoli with ranch, and cauliflower with cheese sauce. Change it up slightly a bit at a time til you can get kiddo eating lots of foods. The concept is called Food Chaining, if you want to google it.

Fascinating! and helpful. As always.. (I look for your posts on DS! )

[luvsviola]

Thanks! Feeding issues are something we've spent A LOT of time on. With my first I was neurotic about the "right" foods. Then, our first day of feeding therapy the therapist gave my 6 month old a natural cheeto. I wanted to vomit and scream! But her point was that he was eating nothing, and it was a means to an end. Natural cheetos are yummy, and easier to manipulate than puffs. In their eyes, you get kiddo to accept the cheeto, then move to freeze dried fruits and progress from there.