Turning into a fussy eater or just a phase?

[sannie]

My 20 month old ds is turning his nose up at more and more of the things he used to love eating....He just has a look at his plate, then goes racing off to his room (we live in a flat) and screams and throws himself on the floor. Nothing I do will get him to try....There is also no way he will try anything new anymore.

Today's lunch - vegetable omellete used to be a firm favourite but he just now refuses to eat it. I then made him a cheese spread sandwhich as I didn't want him to go without anything but this got the same treatment. I'm sure this is because I didn't have the usual brown bread in so I had to use another brand which looks slightly different!!!

At this rate, he will soon only be eating pasta pesto, spinach tortellini and bananas!!

Has anyone else gone through anything similar? I'm 34 weeks pregnant and haven't got the energy to deal with the constant tantrums ....

Thanks

Don't worry, it's a phase

My DD1 started this at about 18 mths, and it lasted a while. It's a classic age for toddlers to start asserting themselves and food is one 'easy' area where they can manipulate the world around them, i.e. mum and dad's behaviour.

Their requirements also reduce over the second year, so that they may eat less than they used to. Toddlers tend to be quite good at self-regulation so may eat virtually nothing one day, then eat the contents of the kitchen the day after!

I would offer the meal/snack, leave it for a maximum of 20 minutes then remove it after a warning and offer nothing else until the next meal or snack time.

My DD1 was also very fickle - would eat a certain type of yoghurt for weeks, then when I'd seen them on offer and bought about 20 would turn her nose up and refuse to eat them!

Children eat when hungry and I have always made a point of cooking only 1 meal and my kids can take it or leave it!

If they dont eat then they dont get anything until the next meal time. Sounds a little cruel but they really will play up otherwise!

HTH

Hi sannie,
I agree with murphyslaw, but I might cook something different if one of the girls I know she doesn't like it. But if they don't want to eat what I cook for dinner/lunch, then they would have to wait until next meal.