So my daughter June is now 3 and, my son Desmond is 1. They both copy each other with what ever they’re doing. June is starting to sit at the table wait till either me or her dad comes to feed her. I’ve tried walking away, talking to her, re teaching her how I eat. Desmond is already feeding himself. All she does is have her tantrums if she doesn’t get her food. What should I do? Thank you!
10 Likes
Uh what? Give her the food then? 
5 Likes
If she’s three tell her to eat herself or starve. Sounds harsh but she will get hungry.
5 Likes
Give her her plate and if she doesnt eat it tough crap. If my daughter refuses to eat I just send her to bed 
5 Likes
Make her feed herself. If she is hungry enough she will. And the mimicking is normal.
5 Likes
Good God shes THREE! Your 1 year old is experimenting, teething, EVERYTHING goes to the mouth~ & Most 3 year olds regress, especially when there are younger siblings!
BE A PARENT & feed your child.
THIS IS PARENTING~ Welcome to it~
17 Likes
Put the food in front of her, and don’t back down, when she gets hungry enough she’ll put that food in her mouth.
1 Like
Sit down and eat together. If it was my child, and she threw a fit i would send her to the living room and tell her she could join us when she can be a big girl and eat if she continues to have a fit after a few minutes i would spank her but and put her to bed. Don’t give in and explain that her behavior is not going to be tolerated
6 Likes
Have you tried making a game out of it to get her started? “Im eating my peas, eat some of yours with me?”
Sit and eat as a family. Give her the plate. Shes 3…she can feed herself. But sitting as a family is very good for children. She will eat…but set good examples.
3 Likes
Do not feed her, make her feed herself. She will eventually get hungry and feed herself. Walk away from her tantrums and pretend it doesn’t even phase you.
3 Likes
Maybe offer some kind of dessert after she eats all her food, this should get her to start eating by herself, just saying 
She’s 3… She’ll eat when she’s hungry enough. And if she doesn’t, then that’s her fault and she’ll eventually eat
4 Likes
She wont starve herself. Give her the food and she will eat it.
2 Likes
Let her have her tantrums. When she realizes she isn’t getting the outcome she is looking for she’ll stop and feed herself.
3 Likes
Really?! So she has been feeding herself and just stopped?!?! She needs to be feeding herself. Give her a plate and walk away or eat your own food and ignore her! If you give in and come back to feed her you are teaching her that she can throw a fit and get her way. If she get hungry enough she will eat, if not, ya going without food.
5 Likes
If she doesn’t eat it then tell her she won’t have food until she does eat it, even if you have to warm it up. I do it with my kids often, who’d rather have bread and chips than any real food. They eventually eat it
1 Like
Just feed her? I agree with Shelly Perry! She knows what’s up! Of course she’s throwing tantrums you gotta keep teaching and loving her and be patient! She’s learning still geez!
1 Like
Y’all some cold ass moms smh it’s just a little regression. Go along with it for a bit and she’ll grow out of it. Don’t hit her. Don’t give her ultimatums. Don’t make a big deal over it. Don’t force her.
Never mind warming it up. The less attention she gets from her behaviour the sooner she will stop because it is no longer any fun.
4 Likes
I wrote this as a reply, but I’m going to put it here to make sure OP sees it.
Three yr olds are just now figuring out autonomy, how to test and push the limits and become more independent. The worst thing you can do for a child at that stage is start giving in to their every whim and breaking the rules that you made.
This is why we say “pick your battles”, bc not everything needs to be the parents way or the highway. But once you have picked a battle and drawn the battle lines (aka made the rules) it is imperative that you do not concede for bad behavior. Not only will you find it harder to enforce rules, but you are taking an important opportunity for their independence to grow which is of the utmost importance to self esteem and development.
Three years is absolutely old enough to eat independently and with utensils as long as there are no developmental delays as specified by your pediatrician.
2 Likes
Ignore the behavior. She know you will give in. Once she stops getting the response she is looking for she will start to do it for herself again.
1 Like
So is she mimicking his behavior or just doing something you don’t like? Because if he’s feeding himself and she isn’t, that isn’t mimicking. And even if she is doing what her younger sibling does, its totally normal, part of having more than one kid and probably her 3-year-old way of attempting to gain some of the attention her brother is getting. Offer an incentive to get her to eat, even if its positive reinforcement or praise or making it a game and not a dessert or prize. Or just use meal time as family time or one-on-one time to give her some of the attention she’s looking for so she sees there are better ways to get it.
Dont give in, stand by your rules. If shes hungry she will eat on her own. As long as you give in it wont get better.
2 Likes
make them sit at a table and read a book word for word one at a time
She’s gonna throw a tantrum if you let her have what she wants when she throws one. Simple science
She is 3, it’s normal to do that when there is a baby in the house. She needs more one on one time with Mom and Dad this is how she is reaching out. Ignore the tantrums, don’t feed her let her do it herself, but talk to her and get on her level. Kids feel left out very easily at that age especially when there is someone who has more needs to her that means more attention.
1 Like
let her sit at the table with nothing else she will eventually get hungry enough and eat. I had to do that with my now three year old still have to do it at dinner time as well. Good Luck
So they’re doing the opposite… Not mimicking?
She will not starve herself, just take it so she doesn’t make a mess during her tantrum and then give it back after she’s calm. At this point it seems like an attention thing which is normal when there’s a fresh sibling.
As i was always told she will eat when she gets hungry (no feeding in between )
Offer desert if she eats by herself? Cause she is a big girl and brother is still learning how to eat like her. Just let dinner sit there and she can go to her room if not hungry? I would not feed her if she has fed herself before. 3 year olds test the boundaries. Mine did and he was an only child.
1 Like
Just tell her she’s not a baby like her brother and she needs to be a big girl and feed herself. Let her know that when you and baby brother are done at the table, you’ll be clearing off whatever is left, so she’ll want to start eating. When there are about 10 minutes left, if she still hasn’t started, let her know that you’re almost done and she had better hurry if she’s hungry. Don’t mention it again. Go about your business of eating and feeding the little one. If she starts throwing the food and such, I would take it away and let her try again when you’re about 10 minutes from being done. Just say “here, let’s try again” and give it back. If she eats, let her. If she starts messing around again, “okay, your food is all gone. No more.”
She’ll probably test you at first, be ready to stand your ground! When it’s time, take her plate first. Say “all gone” and get her cleaned up like usual and move on like nothing happened. If you’re truly worried that she’s not eating, you can always do supper early and then offer her the same plate again as a snack before bed, but don’t give her other snacks and such in the meantime. They’re smart and she’ll figure out that she just has to hold out for what she wants and the problem will continue. Good luck to you!
Make her a big part of being the Big Sister/helper. Let her feed him and encourage her to feed herself. Let her make little meals that she can handle making to share with him. She is feeling left out. This is an attempt at attention and she doesn’t care how she gets it as long as she gets attention. It’s normal. 
Give her tons of praise as the big sister. Make her your helper. Praise her when she eats even if it is little .she may be feeling a bit neglected. Maybe some time designated to just her maybe read astory book together on the couch . words of affirmation help to boost confidence .
Put it where she can reach it and don’t give in. She will continue to behave like that as long as she keeps getting away woth it. Once she realises she’s not getting her way she will stop.
I did that when my little brother was born. My Dad babied me and reassured me that I would always be his baby girl. I needed that reassuring from him. He never let me feel bad about it either. He just told me to not make more work for Mom while he was gone. And when he got home from work he would be there for me. I did it again when my next little brother was born. He did the same and then asked me to be the one to name my new little brother. Once I felt empowered by him, I got over it. Andrew Marcel had an awesome name and I couldn’t wait to finally be his best friend/big sister. BTW, I was six and then eight! He would physically get me out of the crib so I could get ready for first grade 
. It really didn’t last long. But I was grateful he understood what I needed BC my Mom wasn’t having any of it.
Lol. This is adorable!
Just wait. I have other advice than, just wait.
1 Like
Depending on her level of understanding, maybe you could try to convince her that, as the older sibling she needs to teach her little brother everything including eating.
Maybe teach her to be the big sister. Big sisters help mommy teach baby brother. You’ll have to show her how to help you and how to teach her brother. You teaching you daughter, you are spending time with her too.
2 Likes
Ignore her. When she gets hungry, she will eat! My doctor told me this in 1965 when I had my 1st kid.
8 Likes
she wants attention. She sees Desmond getting attention when you feed him and she wants that. Take some time and talk to her when her brother is not around to distract you. Explain to her that Desmond is little and needs more attention, and that you fed her the same way when she was little. But now she’s getting to be a big girl and big kids eat with a spoon and fork. Tell her that Desmond is going to look to her to learn in a few years how to be a big boy. Also try to spend one on one time with her (maybe while Desmond is napping) to reassure her that she is still special to you and you have enough room in your heart to love them both <<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>.
1 Like
I make everyone’s food. They have to stay at the table until baby is fed and I’ve eaten mine and if they still haven’t eaten and are refusing to for whatever reason the food is taken away and they have to wait until snack time.
2 Likes
Prompt and when you eat yum mmmm oh that tastes good!
1 Like
Let them sit there until their hungry enough to eat.
1 Like
This is similar to what my four year old does. He makes some one ferd him while my 3 year old and 11 month old feed themselves. Honestly we just feed him. It’s just a phase and he will grow out of it so why not? It’s better than the alternative of him not eating.
Sounds jealous of the younger sibling, wanting attention. It should pass, but you can always try tough love and make them stay put until they eat on their own. It’s frustrating for all parties involved but may end in good results. If the baby is hungry, eventually they will eat.