What's it worth?

6:15 AM Edit This 3 Comments »

What's it worth to you to get your 1 yr old to sleep through the night? To get your 4 yr old who's in the 10th percentile for weight, nibbles at a limited variety of foods to EAT when it's mealtime and snacktime? For me, I was willing to pay quite a bit to remove those major frustrations from my life!

First the sleeping problem. I wrote about getting through the problem on here. I just didn't know what to do. Then I found a site that gave me hope. It's 'The Baby Sleep Center' . For $37 I got her basic program. In about a week and a half I had Layla laying in her own crib going to sleep on her own. She wakes up very early, around 5:30-6:00 and it's not nice but I do get more sleep than I was getting prior to trying this.

The current issue is with Aliyah. She is just so skinny and won't eat much at meals or snacks, yet asks for things to eat throughout the day. She won't try new things very easily and mainly eats chicken, crackers, chips, rice, SODA (yikes). The last straw for me was that two days in a row she refused to eat at daycare AND IT WAS FOOD SHE LIKES!! My mom had found a site that seemed like what I needed. It was 'Food Sense' I haven't received the hard copy stuff but I did get a quick start guide I could download. Let me tell the first few days of this were hell. She can throw a tantrum to end all tantrums. I just stuck to the plan and it's working. She's not eating a lot but she is eating what's prepared for a snack or meal. One night supper for her was just cucumbers and carrots but that's what she took from what was on the table. My hope is that eventually she will at least try new foods. She started to whine this morning after eating a strip of Tacon and a couple spoonfuls of yogurt that she wanted crackers. I told her if she was hungry she could eat the rest of her yogurt, there would be nothing else coming from the kitchen. After a few minutes I noticed from the corner of my eye that she had picked up the yogurt and was eating a bit more. Can't make eye contact when she's like this.......if she sees us looking at her she screeches and won't do what she was doing.

I feel like I have so much more support where I am now. I also feel like I don't have to constantly worry that if some decision I make regarding the children is wrong that I'll be criticized as I was in the same house with my husband. I think the girls are thriving in this environment, too. They have definite limits set which are adhered to even when I'm not around unlike before when a certain caregiver *cough*hubbie*cough* let them do and eat whatever they wanted.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

cindi, that's great! my oldest is a horrible eater, too. very little variety. he was also the terrible sleeper (Aliyah and Layla rolled into one). sitting together at dinner is the only thing that gets him curious about other foods, and every now and then (very very rarely), he'll ask to try something that his abu is eating.

u'll have to keep us posted on how the program works. hugs, mamabear

Coolred38 said...

Its good to hear your making some progress...just a comment though. Raising 5 kids taught me one thing...each one was different from the last....but pretty much the same in one area...toddlers tend to eat exactly how much they want...and not a bite more. And they can get fixated on just a few different food items...but as long as you constantly give them choices...and they are not lethargic and dull...then rest assured they are getting what they need. Good luck

Anonymous said...

Good luck with Aliyah!!! It is frustrating when they don't want to eat anything! Thank God Nuria has always slept very good thru the night! Now she doesnt like to eat much, only what she wants:pasta, soups, rice...some fish now and then...she eats very good when watching tv or a film on the computer: she has to be doing something to keep her mind busy so she doesnt focus on food, which is not good, because when I don't have the laptop then she will have a tantrum and go mad lol. She doesn't like to try new things either...sigh