Picky eater help

sooty&sweep

Hi

I'll be honest & say my two weren't always eating the same as us when they were that young. They didnt like what we were eating and we didnt always want to eat small child friendly food.
So I would give them a separate tea earlier but they would join us when we ate and they could try what we were eating if they fancied. I found it worked because "stealing"food off mummy & daddy's plate is fun and it allowed them to try new things without any pressure.
I'd suggest identity what he will eat that's healthy and focus on that so that he's not hungry but let him try things with you and slowly you''ll build his palate.

Jen

kacie

I'm a fussy eater, always have been, but as I've got older have tried more foods, things that my parents didn't like so weren't bought. Part of my fussiness is the texture of the food, so I would suggest a variety of foods, and it can take a few times before you actually like the food.

pukkamum

I too agree with taking away the pressure, very few children will starve themselves.
Take away snacks completely, put his plate out leave it until everyone else has eaten then take it away, no recriminations, no pleading.
I had a friend whos child wouldn't eat, to the point said child would be crying at every meal time, I asked my friend whether she would be able to eat whilst crying or upset and of course the answer is no.
Let him play with the food, reward even the picking up, licking or smelling of food.

As animals we are instinctively wary of new foods, so don't make it a big deal add a new food to each plate of food he will eat, praise the children or adults eating nicely without pointing out his non eating, eg my toddler wouldn't eat brocolli, I just put it on her plate with every meal for a week. By the end of the week she was eating it without any coaxing, now I am on carrots!

DigForVictory

Wholehearted sympathy! A picky eater and a distressed mother are an unhappy mix.

What you are cooking sounds *delicious* - can you invite a small friend over to join you? As one (or more!) hearty eaters do encourage a picky one to get a few bites down before the rest is "tidied away" by the hearty party.

Have you tried the ridiculously tiny helpings idea? As in one sandwich, cut into 16 "bites"? A medic I know used to cut the food to dolls house sized pieces & the patients ate a lot of very small things.

The little monster will grow into a bigger one, and feeding *will* get less fraught when their metabolism just roars for fuel. It's you surviving the now that matters! Have someone else cover mealtimes? If child is stressing you, swap children with another mum?! The novelty and the relative tranquility may be what you both need?

This Too Will Pass. Very soon the three year old will be a four year old - enjoy the three year old as much as you can, despite being a picky feeder, as in another few years it will be different. Love the little blighter anyway.

Nagme

With picky children it is usually a control thing. DS is 6 and I have finally learned that by paying no attention ("SCOOP!") to his eating but carrying on the conversation he soon joins in and eats. When he doesn't eat much, but says he's finished, I inspect his plate and say, okay 3 scoops of vegetables and you can leave the table which he does with no problem. I think sometimes he gets bored of eating.

He was a great eater when he was a baby, before he realised that there was such a thing as "choice". I made the mistake of trying to cater to his preferences, which, being a strong stubborn character, he took complete advantage of.

Live and learn I guess!