So last night my three year old son flatly refused dinner. It wasn’t anything crazy - a quick chicken parm, rotini with tomato sauce, and broccoli. The chicken parm was new, but he’s eaten broccoli and pasta before. He just said he didn’t like it and wouldn’t take a bite.

Rather than get mad or try to force him, my husband and I just made him sit in his chair through dinnertime, and told him that this was dinner and that he wouldn’t be getting anything else tonight. He didn’t cry or fuss, he just accepted the terms. I told him I wouldn’t throw his dinner away, and that if he got hungry in a little while it would still be there for him. I let him down from his chair when I was done eating and he went about his business.

A little later in the evening, he asked for yogurt. I told him there was still chicken and pasta if he wanted to eat something. He was just like “nope” and went back to playing.

When I was putting him to bed he mentioned that he didn’t eat his dinner. I said I know, I remember. I still have it if you want some. He didn’t.

I put my kid to bed without dinner and I hated it. 😢 he went to sleep no problem and slept through the night.

Did we handle it well? Any advice if this becomes a thing? Usually he eats well and we don’t have to wrestle him, and I’m not going to force feed him or make dinnertime a stressful, fraught experience. I’m also not a short order cook. I work full time and get a hot dinner on the table most nights. It’s tiring and takes a lot of effort. I also don’t want to be a dick to my kid. I don’t have a good reference point on these things - my mother was abusive so for me to try to find my way through these parenting issues can be tricky. I don’t want to be like her, but I don’t want my kids walking on me because I don’t want them walking on others when they’re grown.

Just a tired, pregnant mom trying to do her best over here. I k ow you ladies can relate.