9 years ago
Monday, February 9, 2009
HELP! My Child is a picky eater!
Evan is such a wonderful child, so loving, polite and well behaved. He sleeps like a champ, plays well with others. I could go on. The one thing I can't seem to figure out is his eating! When he was a baby he was not picky at all, he ate every fruit and vegetable possible. All of a sudden within the last three months he has become such a picky eater. Stuff he used to devour he refuses. He goes to bed hungry at least 3 times a week, if not more. I hate putting him to bed hungry, but I refuse to make special meals. He won't even try things to know if he likes them or not. I can't even get him to take one bite. I've tried punishing him and putting him in time out to get him to take bites, I've tried starving him all day to try to make him so hungry he has to eat (then I feel really bad putting him to bed hungry) I'm tired of the struggle at night. I need some advice people! Any tips you got, lay them on me.
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10 comments:
Gracie is going through the SAME THING! must be the age! It's weird - but we have "games" to get her to eat...or do the reverse psychology. Jason "races" her to see who can finish first. I'm REALLY hoping that doesn't come back to bite us later!
Also - I've tried having her in different PLACES in the house. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes - she only eats A piece of cheese for the WHOLE DAY! I asked the Dr. about it and she said to also try those pediasure drinks (does Evan still drink anything?) and to be sure on the days she doesn't eat to at least give her a multivitamin.
If you come across any other good suggestions - I'm open to them too.
Oh - and I stuck an invitation in your door tonight...it's for a little get together on Friday. HOpe you can come!
TOTALLY NORMAL! If he is hungry, he'll eat, if he's not, he won't eat. He isn't growing so rapidly now so he doesn't need as much food. I know it's freaky but trust your guy, he will know when he is hungry. Just keep offering him food when it's time to eat. You are such a good mama!
try hiding food in the foods he likes. Or just keep intoducing the food. I hear it takes like 14 times before a kids tastes buds will actually adjust to the taste. Also I think it is a stage because jay went through a time where all he would eat was yogurt. Maybe just wait it out but make sure he is getting vitamins?????
You are doing great, Charla! I wouldn't worry about it--you are just stressing yourself out. You are right to not make him special meals. Just keep offering him a variety of good, healthy choices and that is all you need to do. Alex was the same way--ate everything as a baby, but when he was 1 became very picky. Over the years he has gradually added more and more to the list of things he likes.
It is okay to let your kid skip meals or go to bed hungry from 18 months on.
What Bree said is true--he will eat when he needs to. It is hard to let them guide their diet more, but they need a little more independence now.
I know I don't have kids but I bought that cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. She purees vegetables and hides them in foods. It is pretty good (I got it at Marshalls for $7.00). It is an idea.
People always think I'm wierd but if my kids don't eat what is for dinner (or whatever meal we are eating), I tell them they don't have to. I just wrap it up and put it in the fridge. Then when they are hungry, I pull out their leftovers. They don't get to eat anything else until their leftovers are gone. It works good for my kids. Good luck!
ditto to ariane and emily. I have the deceptivley delicious book from Seinfeld which is basically food processing healthy food and putting it in food they will like. It works for my kids. And when Roxy won't eat I leave their plate and when she is hungry I tell her to eat what she had, LIke someone else said, if they are hungry they will eat. But the cookbook is a good idea. You just have to decide if your battle is nutrition and getting the nutrients that he needs OR getting him to not be a picky eater. Hey I put a really old pic of great america on my facebook. And Frannie put an even worse on of when we were like 19 at a kings game. You should totally look at them
Charla you are a fabulous mom you are doing all the right things! Don't panic it is totally a phase he will grow out of as long as you stick to your guns!! One thing I tried that worked was instead of basing it on a punishment system, base it on a reward system. Like tell him if he eats 3 bites then you are going to take him to the park or something he really likes, then keep bumping up the number of bites and making the reward cooler.
Don't give up!!!
Wow Charla...all your friends are being really nice. I can't believe you're starving our poor nephew. Evan has probably been paying attention to Haleigh's eating habits all this time and thinks nothing of going to bed hungry. Pretty soon they'll be eating Fruit Loops together in the morning. j/k ;-) Maybe he's on a diet? Afterall, he weighs more than his older cousins. Don't stress so much, just relax and settle down...he'll eat if he's hungry.
SO, I know you commented on my picky eater blog post, and I wanted to tell you that things are slowly improving. Alex will eat like 4 more things than he used to eat and all I have been changing is letting him know this is it and its this or nothing else, so I say, just keep doing what you are doing and try to make it so there is at least one thing at dinner he will eat. :o) Good luck. Picky eaters are sooooo hard!
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