32: How To Say No To Kids’ Food & Snack Requests

If your toddler wants snacks all the time, you might be at a total loss—or feeling like you’re about to lose it. 😅  Especially if your no’s have historically resulted in tantrums of major proportions. You’re probably thinking, “This can’t be the best way to handle incessant food and snacks, can it?!” And honestly, the answer is no, it isn’t! 

You’re right to be a little frustrated at the fact that you can’t say no to your child without some kind of push back. For so many reasons, as parents, we need to be able to gently say no sometimes. After all, we have the experience and insight to know that it’s not always best for them to eat whenever—or whatever—they want. We understand that there are schedules, routines, plans, circumstances, and even emotions that are best handled without a snack or meal time interruption. And, it’s okay for us to help our kids to see this, too!

It might seem like kids want to be in control all the time, or sound like I don’t want our kids to become independent and autonomous around food, but it’s not that at all. Kids actually thrive when they know that you’re in control. It’s that feeling of knowing there’s an adult in the room who’s got their back—it reassures them and lets them relax. So yes, you can use schedules and boundaries around food and teach them to listen to their bodies. This episode teaches you how to balance their independence with your ability to confidently say “no” when it’s necessary.

In This Episode, We Talk About…

1. Why it’s okay to say no to your child. (02:19)
2. 5 reasons why you really SHOULD say no to your child sometimes. (03:55)
3. The role of school, daycare, and preschool snack times. (07:44)
4. HOW to actually say no to your toddler’s snack requests. (08:49)
5. How to practice saying no with sample scripts to build your confidence! (11:32)