Mealtimes with little ones can certainly be a challenge! Here are ten rules that definitely seem to apply:
1. Only 10% of what your child is offered (with the exception of cake or chocolate) is likely to actually make it into their mouth.
2. Whatever is on Mummy’s plate is always much more interesting than what is on theirs. Even though it’s exactly the same.
3. How the child in the baby weaning book reacts to that wonderful nutrionally-balanced pureed meal: 
How your child reacts: 
4. Toddlers love to share… food that’s been squidged, chewed up and then spat on. Go on, Mummy, you know you want it really…
5. If it’s dirty, fluffy and found in the corner of the kitchen floor, it’s yummy. If it’s been freshly and lovingly prepared and put on the tray in front of them, it’s much less so.
6. The likelihood of your children covering every available surface with a food substance is inversely proportional to the ease at which you can remove the resulting stains. 
7. The longer the meal took to prepare, the higher the probability that it will be rejected.
8. Just because they loved a certain meal the last time you offered it is no guarantee that they will eat it the next time you offer it.
9. Offering several options will only make you feel like you are running a restaurant full of impossible-to-please customers.
10. The maximum amount of time Mummy’s bottom is allowed to be in contact with a chair during mealtimes is 10 seconds.
Are there any other rules for mealtimes with small children that you would add to this list?
Haha! So true!
Thank you 🙂
This made me laugh! I find that there is a negative relationship with the time and love I put into their meals and the likelihood of them eating it. So frustrating!
Oh yes – I agree! It is very frustrating at times!
Lovely, true post – and the most fantastic photos 🙂
Thanks Freya 🙂
This grumpy face is priceless! Jumpy looks the same when I offer food not deemed suitable!
Lol, it did make me laugh. Have seen that expression quite a few times now! 🙂
Yep! Pretty much! ha ha 😛
The joys of mealtimes… 🙂
3 is priceless 4 really cracked me up and I live 7 daily, 10mins is now the max I’ll spend preping, any longer and I cry when it’s not eaten/thrown! Genuinely.
Thank a for linking love! #thelist xxx
Thanks Hannah – I’ve learned not to spend too much time preparing as well! Lovely to link up with #TheList again 🙂
I’m so glad it’s not just my toddler that’s like this. I actually wanted to cry yesterday., we went for lunch ordered his food, it sat there mostly untouched as he said he was full. Half an hour later and back at home, “mummy, I’m hungry!” Arghhhhh! x
Oh it’s so hard when they have their picky moments. Second time round I’m more relaxed about it – they seemed to pass more quickly when I just ignored them. I also find with my toddler that having a plate with several little things on it works well especially at lunchtime – that way even if she only eats some of it, at least she’s eaten something.
Yes to every single point Louise! Those pictures are absolutely classic! So funny, and yet at the same time, so recognisable! I gave up with making my own purees the first time round as they were received with the kind of distaste you mind feel if someone offered you a dead toad on a plate! It was Ella’s Kitchen all the way. Fortunately EJ isn’t such a fussy eater but he definitely has his moments! Thanks so much for linking up with The Truth about… – I hope you will come back again next week X #thetruthabout
Thanks Sam – my little ones often seemed to prefer the shop-bought purees too. Lovely to link up with you for #thetruthabout – love this idea for a linky, hopefully will try and join in again next week x
Haha, this brillaint.
We’ve recently started our weaning journey and it’s not as ‘fun’ as it’s cracked up to be.
I love the photos.
#TheTruthAbout
Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx
Thank you – yes weaning can be so much ‘fun’ – very messy and stressful at times. Second time round I was much more relaxed about it all! Good luck with your weaning journey 🙂
Ooh those pictures made me laugh! My little miss has devloped a terrible habbit of taking the spoon, then taking the food off the spoon with her free hand thne eating it with her fingers… however she eats for daddy perfectly **seeths**
Oh isn’t that always the way! Am sure my two are far pickier when I’m around than when it is just daddy x
Yes, yes, yes! And, there are the phases where they will only eat one type of food, to the exclusion of all others, until the day they decide they don’t like it anymore, just to really throw you 🙂 #thetruthabout
Oh yes I forgot about that one! Fun times! 🙂
That face again. It gets me every time, Louise! I absolutely love it. Actually, I am off to save it on my Photography board on Pinterest! If you had tried taking a photo like that, you would not have managed it. #TheTruthAbout
Thanks Mel – I love that photo – she was so very unimpressed by that spoonful of puree! 🙂
Love this, especially number 10 – true throughout the day too (so why isn’t my bum smaller, in that case!) As they get bigger there is another rule – they will never, ever tell you that they had the exact same thing for lunch at school until you put it in front of them. Even if they have watched you cook it. Gah!! #thetruthabout
Lol, looks like I will be having more fun then once we start school and have yet another challenge to add to the list! 🙂
Describing our house to a tee! Great post!
Thank you Lisa 🙂
Too funny hope meal times have improved lol they certainly know their mind when comes up dining lol
Thank you – yes much improved since I wrote this post! 🙂