my nearly 3yr old will not sit down to eat and want me to feed him

[sheenag74]

Its started to be a nightmare at meal times the last few weeks he wants me to feed him and if I don't and won't eat so I do end up doing it. Its a nightmare to get him to sit down to eat too. I'm a single mum with no support network at all so any advice to make thinks easier would be great

I would put the food out and then leave it and get on with your meal. make it clear that it is there when he wants it but you won't be feeding him.

He won't starve, he may miss a meal or 2 but hunger will soon get the better of him and he will eat.

Does he still use a highchair or booster? That may help keep him sat down. I would also make sure there are no other distractions - tv off, no toys around etc.

my DS was exactly the same at just before 3. I remember saying to him 'come on you're a big boy you're nearly 3' and his reply 'i'm not 3 yet!!' It was really stressing me out at one point
He's 3.2 now and has got alot better and i've not really done anything as such, he is better the more hungry he is at dinner time though

With my DS I tell him I will only help him once I've finished my own dinner, and he is to eat independently until then. At the start he would play about and not really eat much, and then I would help him, but over time he ate more and more himself (partly as I would eat more slowly to give him as much time to eat independently before he can ask for my help) until he was eating his whole meal without really realising.