DS has stopped eating dinner

[Harimad]

Hiya,

Insights needed please!

For the last 4 nights my DS has just stopped eating his dinner. He's 3.5.
He'll happily come to the table, and sit and chat with me, even pick up bits of food, but just won't eat!

Having the first couple of nights continually cajoled / threatened him to try to get him to eat, I changed tactics the last two nights.

I made sure I gave him food that he's always eaten before, and sat with him, told him he had until the big hand had reached a certain point on the clock, and then chatted to him about anything not food, reminded him 5 mins before that time was nearly up and then when the time was up got him down from the table and started the bedtime routine.
He still isn't eating.

The only thing I can think is that my DH has just started a new job on shift work and he is now around only mornings or evenings, not both as he was before, and this week it's been all mornings so he hasn't been there for DS's dinner... could this have had the effect? DS doesn't mention DH at all at dinner time, seems happy, goes to bed fine, doesn't wake up desperately hungry...
But he's always been a pipecleaner (2nd percentile) so he can ill afford to lose weight...

Ideas?!
Thanks!

You could perhaps get him more involved in cooking tea maybe as to take his mind of the fact that his dad isn't there? Ask him what he wants etc, give him special jobs?

Is he eating a substantial breakfast and lunch? Does he have many snacks during the day? Do you eat with him at the same time? It is pretty boring eating when no one else is...could that be it?

is he eating a lot during the day?
snacking?
ds was the same, sat happily at the table with all of us but only tasting the food, not really eating.
he eats a really big breakfast, then lunch and tea at nursery, and dinner at home.
since we dropped the snack on the way home from nursery it's much better.
also we reduced his portion size as well as I think it was a bit intimidating for him.

Stop any snacks I agree. Also expect his appetite to varey depending on if he is having a growth spurt or not. Your approach the last two days sounds fab.

If he's anything like my son - then no he probably isn't eating any/many snacks during the day.

I've been having this with my ds for about a week. He'll sit happily with us, and really really chat but not touch any food.

I have a different approach to yours (and I don't think its a good one, but I just can't bear the thought of him not eating). I nag him, feed him or what works best is to read a book to him and then he feeds himself. All of these things I realise are bad habits to get into and also mean that he is probably eating when he is not hungry.

But DS has had these phases throughout his little life (he's nearly 4) and is not a big child.

He also often says he's really hungry before we have tea, but then won't eat. If it was biscuits for tea though, I'm sure he would.

Thanks for all your responses, been offline over Christmas!

Thankfully he's started eating a bit more, although he's now so sloooooow about it! It can take him an hour to eat a slice of toast at breakfast!

That being said, yesterday he just tucked straight into his tuna pasta whilst my 1YO DD refused the lot! Ah me...