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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not give my 2 year old dinner

133 replies

RalphLaurenLover · 27/02/2014 18:22

So my 2 year old DS has recently decided he doesn't want dinner unless it's mac and cheese or chicken nuggets Hmm he refuses to eat chips,cucumber, corn, carrots etc.

For the last couple of days he'll love his breakfast love his lunch and his snacks in between but suddenly hates dinner. He sits there pushing the plate away not even trying a bit and screaming at it. I've left him there for half an hour and he just screamed, kicked and pushed it as far away as he could to the point where he was falling asleep (15 minutes late for bed) so I put him in bed.

His eating routine is

has breakfast when he gets up at 10 usually toast with butter and jam

Piece of fruit around 11

Lunch around 12:30-1:30 usually a sanwhich, crisp, cucumber and a piece or two of fruit

Piece of fruit again or a biscuit around 3

Then dinner it's this he has his bath at 4:45-5 then dinner around 5:30 and bed at 6

I'm not prepared to play this game with him cause he's two Hmm however I'm not prepared to make him chicken nuggets and chips so he can just eat the chicken nuggets and leave the rest

Please tell me this is a phase my brother is a 20 year old who will only eat plain pizza, sausages/chicken nuggets/burgers and chips everything processed and frozen and nothing heathy or fruit & veg. I'll be dead before I let him live like that

Helppppp

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 27/02/2014 19:08

I agree it's not worth a battle and a screaming two year old before bed. But I'd make sure there is nothing wrong medically which I doubt there is. Good idea to give him his main meal at lunchtime and just a light snack before bed.

HadABadDay2014 · 27/02/2014 19:10

What's he like when he is awake.

Nanny0gg · 27/02/2014 19:13

But (imo), much as I wouldn't want to encourage faddiness, if moving the main meal to lunchtime doesn't change his opinion, I'd listen to him. (Especially if it's consistent)
Children can go off foods they previously liked, and never believe people who say they will eat if they're hungry.
Not if they don't like what's put in front of them, they won't.

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 27/02/2014 19:15

I will defiantly look into him being anaemic.

Out of the symptoms online he has these

sleepy
pale skin
irritability
decreased appetite

He only really ill around November he's gets a chest infection has done since he was born

We play, go to the park, feed the ducks, see friends and have just started story time group and play group twice a week we are pretty active go for a walk.

Even if he naps at say 1pm he'll sleep at 6 still.

OP posts:
summerlovingliz · 27/02/2014 19:16

Cut out the snacks and have earlier dinner at 4.30 I think would make a difference Smile

bodybooboo · 27/02/2014 19:18

sorry can't get passed he's goes to bed at 6 and gets up at 10!! blimey.

ChoudeBruxelles · 27/02/2014 19:23

Is he hungry at tea time. Maybe he would eat better of you push tea back half and hour.

Also try putting veg in with the pasta maybe or making other nuggetty type food yourself - so fish nuggets maybe

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 27/02/2014 19:27

If I pushed his tea back it would be at 6 and he'd fall asleep.

If I mix it in he picks it out well he did with the sausage and pasta anyway

OP posts:
BitsinTatters · 27/02/2014 19:28

That's a lot of sleep.

My children at 2 would be sleeping from approx 7pm to 6am with an hour sleep during the day.

starlight1234 · 27/02/2014 19:28

I would definitely just nip him up the docs just to rule out anything but I would say not hungry squeezing that much food in a short time...

I do wonder though if bath before tea doesn't help...I know for the most it is part of the bedtime routine..

But they all go through phases with food...so long as you don't think he is hungry skipping a meal won't hurt

Orangeanddemons · 27/02/2014 19:29

My dd used to sleep like that. She dropped her afternoon nap at about 20 months old, but made up for it by sleeping longer at nightime

JugglingFromHereToThere · 27/02/2014 19:31

Ahh, sounds like he has a lovely toddler life Ralph feeding the ducks and visiting friends etc.
Another thought could be he is actually eating plenty - he's on the 75th centile so doing fine?
Maybe 2 year olds eat less than you think/ less than you're planning for ?

StrawberryMojito · 27/02/2014 19:33

I don't think there is anything wrong with his appetite. It's just that you're trying to cram all that food into 6 and a half hours. I love my food but I would struggle fitting all that in in such a small time frame. If he sleeps so much more than the average child then he probably needs less calories.

jamtoast12 · 27/02/2014 19:35

I think I'd seriously address his routine and body clock! It will be hard at first but I'd aim for a 7am-7pm with a nap in the afternoon. That's a good amount of food to eat in only 8 hours! 10am lie in is crazy for 2 year old...on the odd day of course but I'm not sure its healthy for a 2 year old to be that tired? I'd address the routine as I think its that which is affecting his diet for sure.

Sirzy · 27/02/2014 19:36

I agree with waking up earlier and cutting out the snacks. Personally I think we are often too reliant on snacks and if he isn't eating proper meals I would cut them down/out

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 27/02/2014 19:36

To be fair he ask for it most of the time
Sometimes he doesn't but I suppose I give it to him like routine.

I'm waking him tomorrow around half 8 for his first toddler group at 9:45 I'll try keep him awake for that! I just hope he's not irritable

OP posts:
bakingaddict · 27/02/2014 19:37

He doesn't have enough waking hours to burn off extra energy so his appetite has decreased. Gradually get him up half hour earlier each day so you can aim for something like 8.30am wake up time. Once he has more waking hours i'm sure his appetite will pick up. 16hrs sleep is a bit excessive on a regular basis most 2yr olds need roughly about 12-13hrs.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 27/02/2014 19:44

Well, that toddler group and an 8.30 wake up might be just what he needs Smile Hope you both enjoy it

Winterbluessummersoonish · 27/02/2014 19:50

Drop the afternoon snack, make sure there is a good few hours between meals or if too hungry at 3pm give the main meal then and add the snack if needed later.

I would also mention tiredness to GP as he may have low iron levels and need a boost.

wonderingteacher · 27/02/2014 19:52

16 hours is a lot of sleep!
For those saying about established patterns - how difficult are they to break? My friend likes a lie in so her (just turned) 2 year old goes to bed with her between midnight and 1 am and gets up at midday. Couldn't believe it when they came to stay! Sorry for the hijack

IamInvisible · 27/02/2014 19:52

DS1 slept from 7:30-9am when he was a toddler and had a nap in the afternoon from 2-5. I was concerned he slept a lot (although was grateful because I was pregnant with DS2), so the GP arranged for some tests. He was fine. DS2 made up for it, never knew how to sleep that one!

I'd swap his bath and tea round, tbh so he has his bath after tea, then maybe he won't be so tired. I'd, also, drop his afternoon snack.

Original poster
RalphLaurenLover · 27/02/2014 19:57

My friends little boy a month older than my DS sleeps the same but has bed at 7 and has a nap he can eat for England though. However I know my friends little girl will still be up at 2am watching movies with her mum and she's a couple months younger than my DS

OP posts:
firesidechat · 27/02/2014 19:58

I agree with the bath after bed time suggestion. Bath should be a winding down activity and might be better after food.

For those saying about established patterns - how difficult are they to break? My friend likes a lie in so her (just turned) 2 year old goes to bed with her between midnight and 1 am and gets up at midday. Couldn't believe it when they came to stay! Sorry for the hijack

Seriously wonderingteacher. As one of nature's larks I can't quite get my head around that. What will happen when the child goes to nursery? A whole lot of grief I would imagine.

firesidechat · 27/02/2014 19:59

bath after meal time

I need to step away from the computer now because I think my rubbish posts are trying to tell me something.

CharlesRyder · 27/02/2014 19:59

My DS only eats a full meal at either lunch or dinner and I would say eats less than your DS (mine is 3.5 now but always done this). He's awake 6am - 7pm and at his outdoorsy pre-school 9am - 3.15pm so very active. He's on/ above the 99th centile for height and weight so clearly fully nourished!!

I think they just don't need as much as you think.

In your shoes, I think I would go to the docs and check there were no thyroid/ iron issues though.