Each family has techniques, developed over time, how to get small children to eat dinner. Sometimes it involves begging, pleading and threatening. Here in the Ivanovsky household, it involves… The Invisible Squirrel.
The invisible squirrel was “invented” by my parents when they were trying to get any of their 6 kids to eat. The invisible squirrel was preceded by the hand aardvark.
The hand aardvark would show up ( amazingly looking like my Dad’s hand ) and pretend to eat our food if we were not fast enough, thus encouraging us to eat. We all had a really good imagination. But at some point the hand aardvark was phased out and the invisible squirrel took over.
The invisible squirrel has remained the premium way to trick children into eating.
This is how it works:
First, you have to “introduce” your child to the invisible squirrel. Make up some kind of half way believable story about how there is a crazy invisible squirrel that has been on the lose and eating kids food if they are not quick enough.
You pull the non-eating child close to you, where you are sitting side by side or at least within arms reach. Add some food to your spoon/fork. Then out the fork near the kids mouth, turn your head away and start talking to another person to where you can’t see the spoon/fork.
“I sure hope the invisible squirrel doesn’t come and get this food…”
“I sure hope Andie eats this food before the invisable squirrel gets it…”
Keep holding the fork in front of their mouth until the kid “gets it” and takes a bite. Then as soon as you feel the food gone, whip your head around and yell…
“Oh NO!!! The invisible squirrel just ate Andies food!!!”
Repeat as needed until food is gone.
I promise, you have a non-eater give this a shot. I have had kids as little as 12 months old “get it” and eat a plate of tuna fish. My older kids laugh and laugh, they love even watching the little one smile and think they are so smart eating the food.
Tonight at dinner we had company and so we packed the kids on the bench side of the table. We heard Rush laughing and realized he was trying to feed Andie. I have never been happier I had my phone with me so I could film him trying to feed her! Of course, then he stabs her in the eye with his fork…. but all is good and this video is hysterical!
Plus he still has a little speech issue and so it sounds like:
“I hope da ibidible squeel doesn’t eat Andies Wice!”
OMGosh! I love this kid!
How do you get your kids to eat?
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ahahahaha you kill me…
The other day I used my phone to show him an old video of himself eating. He thought it was hilarious and started to eat his food, so I made it to where the camera faced him and he could see himself eat. Ate a whole bowl of spaghetti that way.
Usually though I just hope he absorbs his food through his skin… since that is where it normally ends up. That and in his hair.
Sooo cute!! I’ll have to try the ibidible squeel technique with my kids LOL
Holy cow, I thought that was Tucker and Emma at first! Your kids are so stinkin cute!!!
I’m so trying this tonight. My husband said he is going to record me telling her the story about the invisible squirrel. I said well you’re going to have to start in the car because its going to be following us home! haha.
That is so cute!! Great idea..I am lucky!! All my boys eat their food and everyone else’s.. Big eaters at my house.
I bake chocolate chip cookies while they’re eating. Works every time!
I love the Invisible Squirrel!! I remember doing that to Tucker a couple of times!