I feel like parenting a toddler can be so trying sometimes. Just when you feel like you are in a good place behavior wise, something new comes up. And when I say a "good place" I just mean that things are generally pleasant and there aren't major meltdowns coming at you every 5 minutes.
Aubrey has actually been behaving really well lately. I feel like she has really come into an easier stage. She communicates VERY well, and she is pretty independent. She usually minds well for the most part, and we haven't had any major discipline issues lately. There are little things that she needs to be disciplined for everyday, but we are past the stage where I feel like all I do is get on to her for doing stuff that she knows she isn't supposed to do or ignoring me when I tell her to do something.
Of course, things were just a little too pleasant. She had to go and rock the boat ;) The past two days we have had some major drama over FOOD of all things. We have never really had issues over food before. Aubrey isn't an overly picky eater and eats well for the most part. David and I feel like our children should be allowed to have preferences about food just like we do. I'm not running a buffet at mealtime, but I don't expect Aubrey to eat food that I know she hates, because I don't eat food that I hate. However, I do expect her to at least TRY a food before deciding that she doesn't like it. Last night, she decided that she didn't like zucchini, even though she hadn't even touched it. We told her that she needed to eat one bite, and if she didn't like it, she didn't have to eat anymore. You would have thought we told her she had to eat 10 pounds of zucchini for all the drama that went on over that bite. Finally, after much weeping and gnashing of teeth, she ate a bite, and it was over.
Until today, that is. We went to lunch, and when we got home, Aubrey was still hungry. She asked for some strawberries, so I washed and cut some up for her. But then she decided that she didn't want strawberries anymore. I told her that she had asked for them, so she had to eat them because it would be wasteful if she didn't. She would. not. eat. those dang strawberries. I about lost my mind over this! At first I told her that she had to sit in her chair until she ate them. She got up anyway, so she got in trouble. I explained the situation to her and told her how it was going to be, but she would NOT touch a strawberry. I even put a bite in her mouth at one point, and she just spit it out. I have not been so frustrated with my sweet girl in quite a while :-/ The most annoying part is that I KNOW she loves strawberries, and she ASKED for them. It's not even like I'm asking her to eat something that she doesn't like!
I had to leave the room and call David to get some advice and sympathy. It was past naptime, but I had told her she was staying in her chair until she ate the strawberries. Since I obviously couldn't force her to eat the strawberries, we decided that I would put her down for her nap, but then when she wakes up and is hungry for a snack, guess what she's getting? Yep, a plate of strawberries! ;)
I am thankful that Aubrey is usually sweet and pleasant to be around, and I'm hoping this doesn't become the trend at mealtimes. And I'm REALLY hoping that Aubrey is in the mood for strawberries when she wakes up! In the meantime, I'm going to need some extra patience.
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4 comments:
I hope those strawberries are long gone now! I would have definitely continued to serve them as well. I am constantly wondering if we are making the best discipline choices for now and for later and feel like I continue to need guidance and ideas. It's hard to mold little people. Aubrey's overall good behavior during the twos is certainly a sign you're doing it right.
We went through a major period where meal time was a huge struggle. I read a book that said our job as parents is to provide healthy food and our child's job is to eat it. Meals are better but of course we have plenty of other issues.
I was just glad to read the first part about being mostly past the stage of disciplining every five seconds. I'm hoping 2.5 is a little easier than two and one sixth!
isn't that the truth?!? i feel like every day is a constant battle of the wills at our house right now (especially since laney has been added into the mix). i thought things would get easier once libbi was more verbal, but it seems to have gotten more challenging since she now has a voice and an opinion on EVERYTHING! it is hard to know when to pick and choose my battles. i'm with SD....hoping there is a light at the end of this 2 year old tunnel :) please update on the status of the strawberries....i'm sure if it were libbi, they would probably be growing mold by now (and so would she from sitting in a chair for days refusing to eat them!) ;-)
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