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Wow, there are so many things I could quote from the replies. I've cut his proportions in half, given in to him whne he has decided to stop eating, used the timer thing, he isn't loosing weight, acting perfectly normal for a 3 yo, etc, etc, etc.
Sounds like I just need to give in a bit and relax.
Thanks everyone.
jujub529...yes, just relax...he's healthy...don't make eating, or drinking his milk an issue...it doesn't have to be.....some kids eat at regular meal times....some are just grazers....whatever works for them and keeps them healthy...that's all that matters..
I don't know what to do. My 3 yo tells me he's hungry, asks for meals and snacks but refuses to eat it. He will eat some of it but then after about 1/2 way through he stops. I've tried giving him less food, bribing him with a desert if he finishes the meal, setting a timer, making him eat what he didn't finish for his next meal, giving him a time out for 2 minutes and then back at the table. NOTHING is working. He's not sick, he doesn't have food allergies, he likes everything I've fed to him, he just refuses to eat it. I even tried to talk to him about him growing up. The conversation goes something like this:
Me: Do you want to grow big and strong like daddy?
him: yes
Me: then you have to eat all your dinner or drink your milk all gone.
Him: No.
Me: Do you want to drive a fire truck when you grow up?
Him: Yes, I do
Me: Well you have to eat all your dinner or drink your milk
Him: No
Me: Well firemen always drink their milk so they can be strong enough to put out the fires and save people. Are you going to put out the big fires?
Him: Yes
Me: Then you have to eat all your dinner or drink all your milk so you have enough energy to do those great things.
Him: no.
Me: Do you want to go outside and play?
Him: yes
Me: Drink you milk
Him: NO.
Etc, etc, etc.
Is it terrible 3's? Some body please help me.
Kids eat until they are full then they quit eating. Give your child what he wants and leave it alone and quit pressuring him to finish his plate. Adults should follow this same procedure, there would be less obesity in the world if humans would eat until they are full then quit shoving food in their face. You could also leave snacks out where your child can get to them easily, raw vegetables, fruit, crackers, a few cookies, etc. That way when your child wants a bit of something to nibble on it is readily available. I would put out more healthy than sugary or carb filled foods for snacks though.
Kids eat until they are full then they quit eating. Give your child what he wants and leave it alone and quit pressuring him to finish his plate.
I agree with this except for the want part. Give your child healthy things that he wants.... I met a kid this weekend who "won't" eat anything but carnation instant breakfast.
I don't know what to do. My 3 yo tells me he's hungry, asks for meals and snacks but refuses to eat it. He will eat some of it but then after about 1/2 way through he stops. I've tried giving him less food, bribing him with a desert if he finishes the meal, setting a timer, making him eat what he didn't finish for his next meal, giving him a time out for 2 minutes and then back at the table. NOTHING is working. He's not sick, he doesn't have food allergies, he likes everything I've fed to him, he just refuses to eat it. I even tried to talk to him about him growing up. The conversation goes something like this:
Me: Do you want to grow big and strong like daddy?
him: yes
Me: then you have to eat all your dinner or drink your milk all gone.
Him: No.
Me: Do you want to drive a fire truck when you grow up?
Him: Yes, I do
Me: Well you have to eat all your dinner or drink your milk
Him: No
Me: Well firemen always drink their milk so they can be strong enough to put out the fires and save people. Are you going to put out the big fires?
Him: Yes
Me: Then you have to eat all your dinner or drink all your milk so you have enough energy to do those great things.
Him: no.
Me: Do you want to go outside and play?
Him: yes
Me: Drink you milk
Him: NO.
Etc, etc, etc.
Is it terrible 3's? Some body please help me.
Instead of making the portions smaller, why don't you make them bigger and then when he eats half of it, he'll at least be eating more.
OP is acting like a normal, first time mum who is trying to do everything "right".
Lay off the pressure on him and yourself...he's perfectly fine. If you keep showing him that his food intake is a sensitive subject for you, he will manipulate you over this for the rest of his childhood.
Provide the food *half portions* and if he doesn't eat/drink it, chuck it out or put it in the fridge for next time.
I speak from experience....I catered to a fussy daughter and REGRET IT SEVERELY. She is now a vegetarian, purely to annoy I'm sure as she knows I don't think it's healthy.
What's the problem? Is he losing weight? If not, don't worry about it. Sounds like he's eating til he's full and stopping, which is how everyone should eat.
If you're really concerned, OP, talk to your child's pediatrician. Lots of kids don't gain much weight at this age, after growing so much the first two years.
For the most part, this is pretty normal behavior for his age. He might go a week or so, barely seeming to eat enough to survive, then you might have days where you can't feed him often enough. I don't recall any of my own children going through this, but do have a 3 yr old grandson who is A) attempting to use the dinner table as a stage and B) only eating well, about once per week.
Normally, you shouldn't worry about it. My grandson started getting circles under his eyes and looking a bit pale. He had an appointment with his pediatrician and I told my daughter to have them check his iron level, as he'd been exhibiting signs of possible anemia. Sure enough....his iron levels were low. We're "bribing" him. He loves dessert. We've prohibited grampa from spoiling him with snacks and absolutely forbid him from buying any candy. (Grampa has a hard time with the word NO!) LOL Well, we now make sure to have some sort of "dessert" every evening, even if it's only something small. The first day, we let him know....no finishing dinner (small portion), no getting dessert. He soooo did not believe us. We ate dessert, he did not. He was DEVASTATED!
Needless to say, he is a believer now. "If you don't eat your dinner, you don't get dessert. If you're not hungry for dinner, you're not hungry for dessert." Yes, he is now eating his dinner.
I have 4 children, 3 of which are adults now and I went through this with my oldest child. He would only eat a handful of foods and we tried everything. This is what it all boiled down to, now looking back. His doctor said kids can thrive on very little food, they have small bodies. Give them a good multivitamin and don't bribe with sweets or that is all they will want. When they get hungry enough they will eat. Try to get them to eat as healthy foods as you can. My son would only eat scrambled eggs, chicken nuggets, pancakes. I can say that he outgrew this and eats many different foods n more willing to try new things, but it still probably pickier thn some people.
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