I feel very sorry for your DIL.
What a culture shock she must have had; it is going to take time to adapt as grannyactivist says
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17 month old being denied solid food
(171 Posts)My son and his wife are jobless and living with us. Their 17 month old is being fed five full bottles of follow on formula a day and they wake in the night to give him bottles as well. As a result the toddler is not eating much solid food. A few times we've given him fruit and my daughter in law gets really upset that he may not drink his milk! I have tried to explain to her that he only needs one pint of milk a day and should be getting his nutrition from three good meals a day, but she ignores this and has hidden milk powder in their bedroom!
If they were living in their own house I'd not say anything, but they are living in our house and the little one really wants food! He absolutely loves some of the meals we've prepared! (His parents are being lazy and have prepared no meals and done no housework!) Also, they spend all their time on their phones and don't want us to engage with him because they say he should play alone. It's really difficult to see a child so apathetic and joyless. She's from China and I think their ways are different. What should I do???
Hi Grannyactivist thankyou. It was not my choice for her to leave all she holds dear and I don't think she even wants to be here. In many ways I wish she had stayed where she was because I have spent the whole time bending over backwards to make her feel welcome including going to CNY things with her and cooking special meals which she did not appreciate. I feel she rejects any love I show her and so I am pulling back. It may be best all round if she goes home to her family, and my son too. If you read my other post you'll see what I mean.
Well, I'd go on giving them your food whenever you can, and let her feed him anything she wants to. Sounds like he's getting enough to eat. He'll be fine. He'll find his feet soon.
A toddler group would be good though.
I ve spent the whole time bending over backwards.
They ve only been here two weeks !!!
Semi skimmed cows milk would be good, if she could be persuaded. But don't let it worry you.
(Did you get a Chinese custard bun?)
Buffybee she put her career before spending time with him and went back to work when he was only 6 weeks old. It was crazy since she only earned the equivalent of 50 uid a month. I think she wants to keep him a baby
as she cant accept hes getting independant.
Semi skimmed cows milk would be good
I thought that children needed full fat milk until the age of about five.
The Aptamil growing up milk mentioned is better than cow's milk if the mum is insisting the boy has a milk-based diet for the time being, it has more nutrients than cow's milk.
Phone the GP and the HV and report your concerns. It is up to them how they escalate matters from there.
Lavazza1st I won't pretend I'm not shocked at your post - I am. In your original post you ask, 'What should I do?' Well, my answer is try, try and try again - and if it takes a long time to establish trust and build a bond with your daughter-in-law and your GRANDSON then so be it.
I had a good relationship with the Chinese man I mentioned in my last post, but we were not particularly close before his wife joined him. His wife is almost the same age as one of my daughters and I felt so sad for her being uprooted that I did bend over backwards for her - and it took a very long time for her to trust me. I am now regarded as a much loved 'mum' and 'grandmama' and believe me, the effort I put in was worth it.
Gonegirl yes I bought those buns to be nice but didnt realise it would be all he was allowed to have for his lunch though...
Muffinthemoo I was going to do that on Monday. Since they came back home DIL insists he's "fine" but I pointed out that he can barely speak so son phoned the Dr and is waiting for a call back. I'm sure my interference is making her cross but they have never had to parent before and are completely clueless. I don't think hes even had developmental checks...
Lavazza, I doubt the poor mite is fine from how you describe his cough. I assume your son's phoned NHS24. It sounds like someone should have a listen to his wee chest.
They sound bloody useless, if you will forgive my bluntness. I think the right thing to do for the wee soul is quietly make your concerns known to GP/HV.
If they would like their son's upbringing to not concern you, they should move their backsides out of your home.
Bluebelle yes I have bent over backwards to include CNY celebrations and food, bought everything they could possibly want or need to set them up, cooked, cleaned etc etc...I knew she would be jet lagged and missing her family so I have been really kind. Until she criticised my home and cooking, that is. I feel she is really rude and not making an effort at all to even tidy up after herself or the baby so I'm super tired with more housework than ever. I feel that relationships should be two way so I have pulled back from bending over backwards now.
You might be right about the milk jalima. I am completely out of touch now. Grandsons 13 and 17. 
I also think your son and DIL have been giving it the big I-am at home in China about how son is wealthy westerner and the baby is going to a new life in the west where the trees rain money and the baby will live like a prince.
I think the reality that your son is jobless, is struggling to even make enough money to keep DIL in the country, and they can only afford to kip down with you for free has probably come as a severe shock to DIL's expectations.
muffinthemoo thankyou for your support. I agree. I know some will see it as interference but I worked as a child care professional for most of my working life and am qualified to know whats right. All I really care about is the child's protection and development- for any child to develop and grow as they should. They have the right to a varied diet and to enjoy their life. I say this because when I saw her on her phone ignoring him, I got down on his level and played with him and then she got my son to complain for not letting him play alone! They are missing out on so much.
Of course, children don't need milk after a certain age but it is a good source of calcium.
I have a friend whose DD refused any milk at all after she had finished breastfeeding at about 12 months old. She was and is fit and healthy and a mum herself now.
My grandson never drank milk after breastfeeding stopped. One yogurt a day was all he would take. But now, at 17, he's swigging gallons of the stuff as he needs a bit of weight on him for his kayaking.
It all works out in the end.
Muffinthemoo our family is FAR from wealthy and I have been honest with her at the start about this. When she started criticising our home, I felt less like bending over backwards for her.
I do think she is rude and "when in rome....." she just isn't making any effort to consider their invasion in our home might be affecting how we might be feeling. She didn't want a Mother in Law because the Chinese ones can be bad and force them to do all the housework etc. I wouldn't be like that, but I won't be doing all of it while she sits around like a princess either. Unfortunately my poor spineless son is rushing around doing everything he can while she sits on her arse using her phone. Sullen doesnt cover it! I was happy to welcome her, but I expected her to be happy to be here.
Just because you worked as a professional does not entitle you to tell someone else how to raise their child.
It sounds as if you've been criticizing her, feeding her son over her complaints, and searching her room. NONE of those things are acceptable. If you're truly concerned about the child, you need to contact their GP.
I'm a nurse and have a master's degree in nursing. I teach maternity and pediatric nursing. That doesn't mean I get to tell my siblings how to handle their pregnancies and raise their children.
Is there any reason why they can't go back now to where they came from ? I can't see much if any improvement in relationships and given that your DiL is only on a visa it's hardly worth staying much longer for all of you to remain strained and unhappy. What was/is the point ?
If I thought my grandchild was ailing, I would be doing or saying something.
I think anyone has a perfect right, not to mention a moral duty.
Are they registered with your GP Lavazza?
But apart from being poorly with a cough at the moment there is nothing to suggest he’s an ailing child missAventure
It is such a shame they can’t live independently of you because I think you arr over involved I lived with my mother in law for a short time after my first was about one and a half She too was a sister in a hospital Bless her heart she never gave me any advice I didn’t ask for She never interfered or told me how to do anything and I was green as grass never even had a sibling to practice on
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