Dinner Time Standoff

*Please understand I have never made food a battle and am pretty accommodating with my children's food preferences.*

That said.
My 9 yo has a thing lately about complaining about every.single.dinner that I make...unless it is pizza, chicken tenders or corn dogs. This is not run of the mill complaining, and no he does not have any underlying issues, sensory or otherwise that would cause him to behave this way or refuse the foods I make.

Last night I made honey mustard chicken tenders served with a rice pilaf with red peppers and kale (from Clean Eating magazine, recipe here). My 10 and 7 yr olds LOVED it. My 9yo took one look and said "Im not eating this. I want honey nut cheerios" He refused to taste it and went straight into whining.
(he loves honey mustard with chicken, he likes rice and red peppers and has eaten kale happily before)

This mama, who has a husband that is gone from 7:30 am till 10pm, and has dealt with many many many many many dinnertime issues, had had enough.

I calmly told him that this was his dinner, and Im not giving him anything else. In fact, we sat there, while I read a book, at the table for an hour and a half.

An hour and a half.

I stayed calm, I stayed rational. He wanted cookies for dessert. I nicely told him he would not be eating anything aside from his dinner.
He was NOT happy with me, and there was some growling and grumbling from him)
Eventually, when there was 5 minutes left till he needed to take his shower, and he saw that I would not budge. He tasted the chicken, and the pilaf and said "This is really good!" and scarfed it down.

There was no yelling from me, just a firm resolve that I am tired of this kids dinnertime shenanigans which I have allowed for too long.

Then after his shower he banned me from his room because he was making presents for mother's day.

Yes, he is my strong willed child...a gift in many ways to him...but not always so much for me.:grin: