u/Ok-Scale-6575

ETA: we enjoy our convenience foods as much as the next guy, but 4/6 times we are eating home cooked meals with a variety of ingredients, including vegetables. Treats and sweets are occasional things which I prefer to not have in the house. Likes all fruits, most raw vegetables, some cooked vegetables, most meat dishes as I make stews, curries, spaghetti sauces, roast meat regularly, of course all the carbs are a hit. I probably should have put this in my original post. I’m wondering if some of the replies are based on a different perception about what’s being eaten.

Hello, I would love to hear other people’s experiences and suggestions, thank you!!
This has been an issue for years. 9 yr old child is fussy but not that fussy, and Dad is very upset by it and forces them to eat foods they don’t like and often forces them to finish food when they are full but that’s less of the issue. I think his reason is that he makes certain foods and our other child will eat it so he expects both of them to eat it.

Our child has been super upset about this for years and I’ve tried sending him polite, constructive emails a few times and there’s either no response or very rude responses saying I just feed them lots of junk food (not true at all), and his biggest argument is that I’m brainwashing our child to dislike certain foods (this makes zero sense). My last email I told him that we had been discussing this with our child’s counsellor and we are wanting to see changes and he didn’t reply then told our child that me and our counsellor were brainwashing our child. I’ve followed the counsellors suggestion to send a lot of food suggestions and to compliment him on making nice meals and I’ve told him specific foods he makes that our child likes.

All we want is for him to stop this behavior. He says our child will get no screen time unless eats certain disliked foods. (And screen time is a big part of their life when he has the kids. He’s burnt out from a physical labour hard job and our other child is on screens so it’s not like they’ll just do something else. I’m not complaining about that issue, just giving context). Our child is 9 years old, this is not ok!! I’ve asked him when he’s going to stop and he never replies to that question. Is he going to be forcing a teenager to eat foods they don’t like? Is that a thing? It feels so wrong!! All of our communication on this is via email, it’s documented for years of me writing to him on this. (I don’t badger him, it’s maybe once every few months for a couple years). He also asks our child what’s wrong with them and when they’re gonna get over this phase and is just quite insulting about it all.

Short version: Dad tells child they won’t get screens unless they eat foods he makes that they don’t like.

Advice please. My elementary school age child used to alternate play dates at their friends place then back to ours. I don’t know why but their friend’s Dad stopped inviting my child to their place. (My child is very well behaved so I doubt it’s anything regarding that).

When we invite their child over, he brings his child over and it’s fine but this really isn’t feeling fair to me. I want to say something but I feel terribly uncomfortable about it. Also, I don’t know what to say. Talking to the child’s Mom is not an option as the Dad does all the social interaction and school stuff for the child.

I really think it might be best if I say nothing and suppress my slight resentment.

We are in a townhouse complex with no fences and all outdoor spaces are shared. We are allowed one pet. She already has a large breed dog. She recently adopted a pair of puppy littermates. They will become huge, strong dogs. She is single and has physical disabilities and doesn’t walk her dogs (although she does drive them to places to play outside and she does really love them). They do get outside play time as they are usually leashed on the grassy area by her door.

My concern is whether she will be able to train them and how the puppies already look and act intimidating (barking when people approach) but maybe I’m a jerk for raining on her happy puppy parade? Never see her first dog outside anymore because she probably doesn’t want to broadcast that she now has 3 dogs so there’s that too. I told her she might get in trouble with the owners of the townhouses as we are all renters. We were on good neighbourly term before I said anything and I really really really upset her. Do I apologize and if I do, what exactly am I apologizing for?