Friday, June 3, 2011

Hunger Strikes

If you had not noticed yet, A is a pretty strong-willed child. His latest thing is to go on hunger strikes when I drop him off at the babysitter's.

This is not the babysitter who took care of him full time when I was working, because she just had a baby. Since the semester's over, I don't need anyone on a regular basis, but we have this really nice sitter who watches A at her house now and then. He knows her and her daughters well, but lately he hasn't really wanted to be dropped off there. So, in the morning, if I tell him he's going to K's, he warns me "Moi non manger K", translation: "me not eat at K's". I figure if he's really hungry, he'll eat.

So what happens while he's there? He doesn't cry too much when we leave him there, as long as he can go ride in K's car (not sure what the fascination is, but we just go with it). This poor K tries everything to make him happy, but he refuses to eat or drink anything that she offers (even ice cream and cake!), and refuses to talk... he just nods and shakes his head. He also refuses to nap, of course!
What happens when I show up to pick him up? He starts talking, dancing, and playing. He asks for, and eats everything that he had refused before, and doesn't want to leave K's place.
Have you ever heard of such a stubborn two-year-old????

He didn't act like that at all at his regular babysitter, he actually used to eat BETTER there than at home. Anyway, I don't feel bad, because I know he's not unhappy there, and that it's only for a few hours at a time. I am just amazed and amused at his will power! I often joke that I should have given him "Gandhi" as a middle name to make him more peaceful. He must have heard me and just added the 'hunger strike' method to his repertoire...

Have you dealt with similar behaviors? How did you handle them?

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