Always hungry - normal for nearly four year old?

[dollybird]

My DS who's nearly 4 is always complaining he's hungry and the constant whining is doing my head in! He usually has two snacks between each meal (fruit, cereal bar, dry cheerios etc). I'm worried he eats partly out of habit ('is it 10 o'clock yet?' and 'I usually have two things' are things he often says), plus dd always wants something to eat when ds has something but he always mentions food first (she is 2.5). He's not at all overweight or anything, so should I just let him have something to eat if he says he's hungry?

my ds is a bit like this at the moment.He's 3.5.I make sure the snacks are fruit or oatcakes and not high in sugar and that he's still eating his meals.Ds has had a rotten winter and has had numerous illnesses that have stopped him eating, so I thik his body is catching up.

As long as he's eating his meals then I wouldn't worry too much.

Does he use up a lot of energy? My ds never stops moving, and eats a lot - also does he visibly run out of energy? What happens if you don't give him anything? Can he be distracted, or is he persistent? I decided that with my son I should feed him when he asks, because if I am hungry I eat something, so it seemed a bit unfair to say no to him. It is worth giving him high energy high GI food at mealtimes, and then having a formal quite substantive snack (we have elevensies, threesies and a snack before bedtime). It is supposed to be better for you to eat less but more frequently, and little kids in general do burn it up, so I wouldn't worry to much, so lomg as he is well in himself. You could try keeping a food diary for a week or so and see if there is any pattern going on.

I wouldn't say he's always on the move, but he does run out of energy - if it's getting close to dinner time he can get really miserable, or alternatively really silly. DH and FIL are the same - they get really grumpy/easily wound up when hungry and need to eat quite frequently so I expect that's where he gets it from. I suppose as long as I'm giving him a healthy snack then I shouldn't worry - it's not like he eats sweets and crisps all day long. Thanks

Does he go to nursery or playgroup, and how does he cope there? IME some children who snack a lot at home really struggle when they start school and are not able to do so.

At 4 he should be old enough to go longer between foods. He might be saying he's hungry because he's bored: if he's having two snacks between each meal he probably has never actually felt hunger.

Personally I would at least try being much much stricter and get him into a more reasonable routine before he starts school.

Well remember that most primary schools (all?) have fruit time now, so there's no problem with elevensies really, and most children need something when they come out of school too. If he is miserable when he runs out of energy, then I can't see any benefit to making him go hungry! I get terrible energy lows, and there was a thread about it the other day - some of us need to eat more often than others!

If he isn't overweight - feed him as often as he needs.

Obviously keep the snacks as health and sugar free as possible but making him go hungry seem pretty harsh to me