back from a 4 day work trip. nanny's photos all week were empty bowls. idli, dal rice, even beans. last night i sat with her for 40 minutes and she ate four spoons and fed the rest to her teddy she's 2. is this a thing, eating better for whoever is around more? i can't tell if i should step back at mealtimes when i'm home or keep at it
Very much a thing. I see the school version of it every day: children who 'never eat at home' finish their whole box in class because nobody is watching them chew. Forty minutes is a long time to be watched. Put her plate down, eat your own food next to her and don't comment at all. It felt odd the first few times we tried it with ours, but it did more than any coaxing.
the not watching part is true. our daughter ate double one day because i was on calls at the dining table and forgot about her. didn't plan it but i'll take it
In our house I'm more or less the nanny in this story. My granddaughter eats beautifully for me and plays with her food for her mother, who once asked me what the secret was. No secret. Same plate, same chair, same time, and I'm quite boring at the table. Children save the drama for the person they've missed. Don't take it to heart.
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