Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Boycotting

My son has decided he doesn't need food. He has gone from being the best eater who will gobble up anything you put in his face, to turning his face at anything and everything and opting for just milk or juice.
I can't take it.
Every night for dinner it is a fight with him to eat anything, and while he is eating just fine in daycare...*sigh*
Last night I made him cry because I told him he couldn't have any juice until he finished at least half of his dinner. I became my mother the moment the sentence came out of my mouth. I used to do this to her, fill up on liquids and not eat my food. My mother used to cry and beg me to eat and then threaten to take me to the hospital and have me put on a feeding tube.
Two hours it took for him to finally grab his plate and choke down some potatoes and meat (which he usually loves). He showed his plate to Daddy who gave him some juice.
This is usually only during dinner time, for breakfast he is starving (because he won't eat dinner) so he gobbles it up quickly. Lunch he does okay with, I've noticed he is starting to do the same for lunch sometimes...
Is my food gross now? Is there something I can give him to substitute? I know Mamaof2 went through this with her son recently, and I see why she was so concerned. And my son is only TWO! I give him Flintstone vitamins in the mornings just to make sure he's getting his essential vitamins, but he still needs ACTUAL SOLID FOOD in his system...
I swear the other night I gave him cereal for dinner just because i knew he would eat it without a problem, but I don't want to do that every day...unless i have to of course...
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6 comments:

DD said...

My son was a great eater until about 2 as well. They say to keep trying a variety of food, but that's so much easier said than done. He used to eat pasta, now he won't. He used to eat hotdogs every night for supper, now he's on to deli ham - plain.

I wasn't a good eater, either. I would have cereal morning, noon and night if I could (even now).

I got him turned onto pizzas by having him help me make it. Even if you want to start with one of the small, pre-made crusts and just add sause and cheese...maybe he'd be more interested if he could help you. Easy and little mess.

Oh, and we HAVE to make pancakes every weekened b/c he'll eat nothing else.

3/06/2007 4:01 PM
OhTheJoys said...

My pediatrician said that no child presented with three healthy meals and snacks each day will starve themselves and I found that sort of freeing.

It's a struggle though.

3/06/2007 4:38 PM
Creative-Type Dad said...

How weird--I just talked with our doctor last week about this. My daughter, nearing two, hardly eats some days and eats like a pig others.

She eats like a pig when we break down and give her junk food. We only do that because the wife can't stand to let her go to bed hardly eating.

The doc said not to do that. Keep giving her the normal stuff and she'll eventually break down and eat. This is how kids develop good eating habits.

So far, some days it works. Some days it doesn't. Overall she is getting better...

3/06/2007 6:19 PM
Mama of 2 said...

It so must be the age...Girlie Girlie is starting to turn her nose up at a great many things that she used to eat without a problem. Would you believe one of those things is chicken nuggets? I thought all children big and small loved those things.

Dinner has become a challenge as well and honestly I have decided not to fight with her since fighting with Little Man hasn't worked all that well over the years. She's eating the best variety she can and still will opt for things like grapes, apples, strawberries and salad so I guess she's not doing all that bad.

Don't fret too much Diana since it's so not worth the stress.

3/06/2007 6:47 PM
Tuesday Girl said...

This is so common with kids. My own children still become picky on some days the other days they eat like they have never seen food before.
If they are hungry they will eat. Even PB&J is better then nothing for breakfast and it is fairly healthy.

3/07/2007 8:09 AM
dennis said...

I have had the problem in the past with girl.imp and now with boy.imp. I have become much more hardline on no snack/dessert if the plate in not cleaned. I have also been known feed the imps their uneaten dinners for their breakfast the next day.

as long as their healthy and you are feeding them. They can go hungry for a little bit. Worked with us when we were young too!

3/07/2007 9:01 AM

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