"I'm with you. It's a phase; it'll pass. What's the hurry? Indeed, "impatient" is an interesting word to describe how your husband is feeling about your child's eating. I am pretty sure he knows that eventually PB&J will lose its appeal ( especially if your 3-year-old eats it at every meal for weeks on end) and your son will want to expand his culinary palate."
"It seems to me this is more about asserting authority ("You'll eat what I tell you to eat") than anything else. What your husband suggests as the right way to handle this-and I'd bet the ranch it was the way his own childhood quirks and small rebellions were met by his parents-sets up mealtime as a test of whose will is stronger, Dad or kid."
"Perhaps you might also obtain a copy of the delightful book Bread and Jam for Francesby Russell and Lillian Hoban and read it to your child. (Pro tip: All the Frances books are great, and 3 is a wonderful age to start having them read to you. They all very gracefully, sweetly, and hilariously explore common childhood troubles, worries, rituals, and those terribly annoying-for parents-phases. And while the gorgeous audiobook of Frances' stories narrated by"
A 3-year-old is fixated on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a parent is willing to indulge until the phase passes. A spouse prefers strict mealtime choices, arguing the child will eat when hungry. Patience is advised because repeated exposure and time typically broaden children's food preferences. Treating meals as contests of will risks turning feeding into a power struggle rooted in asserting authority. Winning such contests undermines the goal of fostering a healthy relationship with food. Gentle reminders to the stricter parent and age-appropriate books about food phases can help ease the situation.
Read at Slate Magazine
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