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DN, 2.9, won't eat - ideas to help please?

28 replies

Nancery · 01/01/2014 13:38

Am hoping to be able to give my sister some help / ideas on how to handle this. Will tell you what she says then add my two penneth at the end.

My neice won't eat. They have tried sticker charts, outright bribery and shouting but nothing works. She drinks a lot of milk but has 'no interest in food' and apparently will sit with her stomach rumbling before she eats, and then often won't.

My view is unfortunately this (but obviously this is all tricky to say, to varying degrees.) She does eat, but it seems to be mainly rubbish (biscuits, Quavers etc.) I have hinted this may be the case but told it most certainly is not.
The few times I have been there while she has been given her dinner it seemed to be either a tin of something (pasta chicken and sweetcorn) or a sandwich (latter is fair enough at lunchtime, of course.) I also suspect that food may be a control thing; they say they ignore it if she says she doesn't want her dinner but they actually do a lot of exaggerated sighs / pursed lips / tutting etc.
She is also, kind of affectionately, referred to as 'awkward' or 'a madam' and compared unfavourably to her 'easy' one year old sister. I raised the last two points with my mother though and she was adamant this would not be the case and that DN has never had an interest in food.

Raising the theories I have would result in lots of drama (no matter how tactful) so want to try and suggest constructively ways to help before the poor little bugger is sent to bed in disgrace yet again.

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Goldmandra · 03/01/2014 14:29

Well, as long as they as giving her the message, however subtly, that they are wound up by her not eating, they will continue to struggle and mealtimes will continue to be a source of stress for them and control for her.

If you can only get one message across, make it this one and repeat ad infinitum.

If you can get your DSis to post on here herself she will get it from the horse's mouth without family politics and relationships getting in the way.

You can only do so much.

Nancery · 03/01/2014 14:35

Goldmantra I agree!

I think even if she came on here she has a different perception of how they handle things to what is actually going on. 'We would never raise our voices' and 'we deliberately wouldn't compare the girls in front of them' are two of the things she said. I backed out of saying when and where I have seen this not to be the case as it wouldn't get me anywhere. I did, however, suggest they see a health visitor (they'd probably work things out sharpish) but was told they 'don't have time as I'm doing all the extra shifts I can to pay for the wedding' (wedding in few months, her boyfriend only works occasionally.)

I give up!

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 03/01/2014 15:32

I give up!

I think that's probably the best course of action.

They know they are doing things that make it worse but don't have the self control to change it and are finding excuses instead.

One day they will see the light. In the meantime maybe you could have your DN on visits to your house so she has a bit of extra relaxed eating time.

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