DD 5 eating non stop. Becoming ridiculous

[orangeandlemons]

I don't know what to do. It's every 1/2 hour. Nothing seems to fill her up an I am getting really concerned that it is just greediness. I seem to be getting her stuff to eat constantly.

Today: 2 huge pancakes at about 9.00am. 2 biscuits at 10. Dried mango at 10.30, crackers and butter at 11, banana at 11.30 lunch at 12.15.

Small cake and drink whilst out at 2.30. Arrive home 4.00pm, demanding food straight away. Had a plain wrap whilst tea cooks, would have eaten more, but I stopped her. Will shortly have huge tea, then will be hungry straight away after, constantly until bedtime.This can't be normal? She is very tall (8 yearold size)

I have tried offering water, but it makes no difference we keep very little crap in the house, but that is what she wants. She won't eat toast, bread, rice cakes or any normal snacky stuff. I am tearing my hair out for her, because I feel she is overeating, but she never gets fatter, but also because I feel like some sort of waittress who has to find food evey 1/2 hour. And I don't want to. I want to do other stuff too

I have tried talking to her about it, and talked about mouth hunger and tummy hunger. Dp is sick of it too. It is literally every 3/4 hour a demand for food that never seems to fill her.

If she's not gaining excessive weight, then it doesn't sound like the overall amount of food is too much. Does she need to have bigger meals maybe? If she's hungry again shortly after a meal, it does't sound like she's had enough.

Mine would eat like that for about a fortnight before a growth spurt, but I am guessing from your posts it has been longer than that? I am also thinking that she is isn't at school yet? Having set breaks might train her, but you don't want to force her to starve and then binge.

Oh I see she doesn't finish her meals. But maybe that's because she's spoiled her appetite by snacking too much. And then of course she wants to snack more because she's hungry after not eating a full meal. It sounds like a bit of a self-perpetuating cycle of habits she's got into, maybe you need to be strict for a while to break the habit?

Presumably when she starts school she won't be allowed to eat every 30 minutes (are they even allowed snacks at break time, I can't remember?)

Could potentially be a growth spurt.

She eats nearly all her meal, just leaves a bit. Snacking doesn't seem to spoil it that much.
She is at school, they have snack time at break. Then she has another snack from childminder atabout 3.45.

Bythe time I collect her about 4.45, she is like a rabid animal. Non stop eating including tea, until just before bed.

This is probably very unlikely, but I was wondering about hyperthyroidism. The eating you describe is just like that my MIL experienced when she had hyperthyroidism. I think it's fairly rare in kids tho and like you say she's probably just about to have a growth spurt or similar.

I was like this as a kid for a couple of years, in late primary. My Dad used to constantly refuse as I 'couldn't' be hungry. I remember how horrible that felt.

Here, we have a rule you can always have bread (we make our own, its pretty worthy so not really a treat) or fruit. I do six food offerings a day now (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, tea, supper) then they can help themselves to fruit/bread if needed. I think its not a good idea to set up a thing where you're telling them if hungry or not.

Agree with drink advice though, make sure she has a bottle all the time to keep drinking.

I have a very hungry, tall 6 year old.

He has three meals a day, plus a "top up" before bed (usually toast and a glass of milk). He has two snacks a day (one fruit, one crisps/biscuit) and THAT'S IT. At meal times he can eat as much as he likes, and he eats well.

He used to ask for food all the time, but we did stick to the normal meal times and I did the broken record thing with "There is nothing wrong with being hungry for a bit, dinner is in an hour".

because there IS nothing wrong with being a bit hungry between meals!

IMO anyway. Also, being hungry and being fussy ("not toast") would not be acceptable.

Would she eat nuts? Much more filling than bread and fruit on their own. I slice a banana lengthwise and fill it with peanut butter and sandwich back together. Or apple slices dipped in cashew nut butter? Mind you, this is possibly more work for you, which i think you are trying to move away from.

Second the idea of a snack box, this makes it her responsibility and she can regulate what she eats and when without the constant nagging you to be at her beck and call (which i reading back, is probably the REAL issue here.)

She is eating the wrong food, but you know that already. In addition, it cant be good for her teeth, and neither her poor veins!

You are feeding her a lot of empty calories, which are very high in sugar, this will give her a "high" and then she will come down again really quickly and feel hungry. This is normal.

I am sorry, but pancakes, biscuits, crackers, dried mango (sugar bomb), and then a cake just before teatime! No wonder she does not eat her tea! She is full of shit "food"!

She is not going to starve if you restrict her food intake. Apple or nothing. Carrots or wait until tea time. Etc. Be the boss!

You are turning food into a big issue when it does not have to be.

We find the best way of stemming constant demands for food is to feed them protein at every meal - they have boiled eggs at breakfast every couple of days, on others it's cereal then toast and peanut butter.

Our fruit bowl is always on the go and nuts especially pistachios from Lidl are very popular.

If dhe's not overweight I don't think you have much to worry about- you could maybe let her have a bowl of cereal as a snack, some low sugar muesli or granola.

My girls all go through times when they are constantly hungry, your daughter is growing fast so probably just needs a constant supply of calories.

As she is in school, you should try to stick to the times she eats in school during holidays.

My two boys are 9 and 6. My 9 year old eats a portion almost as big as mine. I got to the stage where I weighed him constantly as he would eat for breakfast 3 or 4 weetabix when he was just 4!!! He was on a growth spurt. But he doesn't graze, just eats a larger meal. His weight is following the curve he has always been on so he is fine.

Both my boys will ask for food 1 hour after breakfast in the holidays despite going for hours at school. They have porridge so it theoretically should keep them full for hours. I think it is partly because the kitchen is in sight. They know I have food in so constantly ask.

I stick with a fruit snack and milk just like Ds2 has in school at morning break so 10.15am (Ds1 doesn't usually have it in school as that stops after year 2) and I give them lunch at the normal school time. Both of mine come out of school "starving" even though I know they have had a very good lunch 3 hours earlier.

As your daughter is snacking constantly she is spoiling her appetite and when she returns to school this could cause problems if you are feeding her all the time now. I would just be strict about food times, at 5 she can look at a timer to see how long till she can ask for food again.

I agree with the 'noting wrong being hungry thing' we have also said this to our children and they were

Also I encourage them to eat until full but no more - I don't know how duccessful that is though...

I'm no expert - DS is only 16 months but even he eats more than 2 pancakes (however huge) for breakfast, it's no wonder she was hungry half an hour later. Typical breakfast is dry cereal to keep him quiet going until I make breakfast around 8.30, he'll then eat a big bowl of cereal or porridge with raisins and a banana and at least half a slice of toast. Any he doesn't eat goes in the fridge and is offered the next time he says he's hungry - I do this for every meal as he often gets distracted only to be hungry half an hour later and I'm not 'fixing up' a separate snack if he hasn't eaten all his meal. I am definitely not someone who expects or asks my child to eat all that I give them, I will happily throw away leftovers from the previous meal after serving the next one. I strongly believe that children know their own appetite.. But the same as you I don't want to be thinking about what food to serve and spending all day long making stuff on top of the meals I've planned.

I will give biscuits as snacks but limit them to one or two. If a child is really hungry they won't be so fussy to say they'll only eat one particular thing. Obviously there are some things people just don't like and that's fine, but if they're refusing all proper food and asking for snacks that are basically crap I think that's when I'd say no.

If she's 5 but the size of an 8 year old, providing there's no weight/health issues wouldn't she need the same amount of food as an 8 year old? (whatever that might be) I think perhaps you could start offering more at mealtimes and see what she can manage. Also I keep offering things I know DS doesn't like and sometimes he will eat them. Like I say there are sometimes things people just don't like but apparently it takes 37 times if trying something to be able to tolerate it. Trying can't hurt especially if it means getting veg or protein into her!

It's a tough situation because there are often emotions involved especially for women. But the way food was treated when I was a child has had effects I don't want to pass on to my children - being forced to eat what was on my plate meant I still do even when I'm not hungry, being told I 'couldn't' be hungry meant I binged in private. Just be careful you don't pass any hangups you may have onto your child.

I think the snack box and water bottle ideas are brilliant, I'd definitely try those things

Is this ongoing or recent? My first thought was growth spurt. My DC's are always continuously hungry when they are just about to have a growth spurt.

My 8yo DS2 usually has the appetite of a sparrow. For the last 6 weeks, he has literally eaten me out of house and home. However, in the same 6 week period, he has grown 2 inches!

He also has a 1-2 week period where he eats everything but the kitchen sink when his feet are about to go up a size, in fact, the level of food consumption is what always prompts me to get my DC's feet measured, and buy the next size up in clothes, it's a pretty good indicator for all 4 of them!!

If no growth spurt is imminent, then boredom would be my next guess.

Thinking about this a bit more. My boys start asking for food when they are bored. Not because they are really hungry, but because snacking is something to do. They are usually offered a youghurt or sandwich or some fruit.
Never biscuits, and cakes or crisps.

How active is she? Any sports? Trips to the park to let off steam?

Your dds diet seem to be very full in carbs, and this does not really "stay" in the tummy, you dont keep the full fealing for very long.

I also see no mention of fruit or vegetables in your daughters diet.

I'm not sure she is eating the wrong foods. Pancakes have egg in them, which is why she eats them. Itis the only protein based thing I can get into her at breakfast. She eats proper meals, and I try to limit crap and sugar, but not ban it. She may eat a lotof carbs, but it is hard to get her to eatprotein. She will eat cheese sometimes, mince and fishfingers. That's about it. Have never tried her on peanut butter due to allergies, but could try cashew paste, although nuts in general get the thumbs down. I don't think 2 plain biscuits, and small fairy cake means she eats a lot of sugar

Oh God, I jus tforgot to putfrui andtveg in. On that day she had pancakes with apple sauce, banana, dried mango, orange and a plum at lunch time broccoli with tea

Her diet is looking a lot better with the fruit and veg in!

Hi my 13 year old DS is the same, never stops, he is 5ft 4inches and only 7st 4lbs so he is really thin for his age and height. So it is hard to stop him - what I do notice is when he is really bad the next time I look he appears to have grown overnight. I also think it is just because the food is there and he is growing really fast at the minute

If she is craving carbs, it's possible she has a gluten intolerance as children with it tend to crave foods containing gluten.