"Yuck, I Don't Like ____________!"

This phrase is what I hear from my children almost every night when I spend time making a home cooked meal and place it in front of them for dinner. (I hear it more from one child than the other...I'll let you guess which is the culprit.) If it's not pizza, chicken nuggets, or chicken and dumplings, it's simply labeled as not good in their minds.

The other phrase that comes out of their mouths almost every single night is, "How many more bites do I have to eat?"

So, when my family came to visit, we held a little science experiment. My mom had heard while watching "The Doctors" on television that one way to aid children in eating their dinner is by following the directions below (written in my own words).

1. Place meal on table (but plates remain empty).

2. Everyone sits down for dinner and prays.

3. Do not put anything on any one's plate.

4. Fill your own plate and wait for the child to wonder what is happening and why they are not getting any food. Go ahead and start eating.

5. Wait for the child ask for the food they would like.

In our case, R asked for 3 pieces of bread (one right after the other) for his special dipping sauce. I glanced at K and came very close to whispering, "If he asks for one more piece of bread and doesn't ask for any lasagna, I'm going to have to give up on this experiment."

6. Wait and trust.

Within 1 minute our daughter asked for lasagna right off the bat...my jaw dropped...because then she ate the whole thing. No complaining and no questions about numbers of bites. What????

Then we waited about 10 minutes for these 3 pieces of bread to be finished by R.

And waited anxiously while he sat finished with his bread, thinking of what he would as for next. He glanced around at the foods just sitting on the table.

Then it happened.

R asked for lasagna and cleaned his plate as well.

My mom and I were floored! We couldn't believe it actually worked for both children! What a pleasant way to have dinner! I loved it!


While cleaning up later, my mom and I just giggled while reflecting on the experiment. We were both thinking that R was never going to ask for that lasagna.

Now that I know dinner can be this pleasant, I wonder what "The Doctors" have to say about whiny kids???

If you ever find out, please let me know so I can try another experiment!