Originally Posted by indigo
Originally Posted by spaghetti
If she must decide on dinner, then I'd give her nothing if she doesn't have a decision...
Originally Posted by Pemberley
To NOT make dinner if they didn't answer my question.
I may be in the minority here, but I believe that nutrition is important, that food should not be withheld as a punishment, that doing so may teach the child unintended lessons, and also be considered as child neglect or abuse if the child tells others what is happening at home.

Trust me my daughter is VERY well nourished. If she and DH decide not to respond to my question they have several options. There are usually leftovers in the refrigerator. There are plenty of ingredients in the kitchen. There are plenty of take out options nearby. There is literally no chance of her going hungry.

However I am not going to teach her it is ok to expect me to stand at attention because she chooses not to respond to a simple question. As I mentioned earlier in the thread this is something that she seems to have learned from my DH. So now the 2 of them usually discuss and come up with an answer together. This is a vast improvement over silence or a non responses. And in no way would I consider this a "punishment" much less abuse or neglect. Many 14 year olds have significant responsibilities around their home. Being asked to respond to a question or microwave a plate of leftovers themselves really is not a terribly harsh reality. Really.