But What About My Picky Kids 😫 · The Dinner Bell Days

But What About My Picky Kids 😫

“I only wish my kids would eat the food I make…”

“You’re so lucky that your kids eat what you feed them.”

“Must be nice that your kids eat so well.”

This is just a small sampling of the comments I’ve received over the years when sharing my food and including my kids who’re happy to eat what I’m serving them for dinner in the video.

I’m not here to tell you that my way is the right way…or the only way. But it has worked well for my wife and I.

First things…the answers to those statements above. You don’t have to “WISH”. I’m not “LUCKY”. And it’s not “NICE”.

To go a step further…my kids eat what my wife and I make them for dinner because I didn’t wish…I don’t rely on luck, and I certainly don’t try to be nice to get them to eat like big kids, rather than spoiled turds who can only tolerate chicken nuggets and French fries drowned on ketchup.

I don’t know why, but so often people want some big flashy fancy answer to how and why things work. But so often what works isn’t complicated…or fancy…or exciting

And because it isn’t any of those things, people choose not to do it.

Put another way…people lose all excitement to do something impactful that changes their lives for the better because the path itself isn’t exciting. It’s boring—requiring mostly…a great amount of discipline.”

So, no…wishing and luck aren’t tools in toolbox.

Instead, and here’s the great big ‘secret’ you’ve been waiting for. We make XYZ for dinner and that’s what our kids will be eating. You know…kinda like how you likely grew up. Your mom wasn’t catering to little ol’ you like you were some prestigious king or queen deserving of an a la carte menu and the finest of china with genuine silverware.

No, you sat down and shoveled into your mouth whatever was served. And the only thing I hope and pray for is that you actually have some idea of how to turn ingredients into a good meal that your family not only enjoys, but nourishes their bodies as well.

But somehow it’s “rude” and “cruel” to make our kids do the same exact thing. Yes, I’ve actually been called rude and cruel for forcing my kids to eat what I make for dinner…and get this…having them go to bed hungry if they want to throw a fit that they’re not going to eat what I made, especially if they haven’t even tried it yet.

Never, in the history of humanity, has a child died because they wanted to be little jerks, and consequently, were forced to go to bed without eating dinner. In fact, they wake up, hungry as they normally are, eat a nourishing breakfast and go about their day understanding that next time dinner is served they better dig in and eat or face the same consequences.

Unsurprisingly, usually one or two times of going to bed without dinner is enough to correct the behavior.

Alright…that’s enough for this post. Stay tuned for part two on some exceptions to this rule that we utilize and a few other rules we have in place to ensure that the dinner table is a place filled with satisfaction, rather than attitudes and disgust.

Cheers!

Jake

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