@LotsOfTrees
Sorry to jump in but I’d love to know *@MargaretThursday* whether you just ‘waited it out’ or if anything else made a difference? Feeling stressed about my DS.
@LotsOfTrees
I waited it out. Made sure she had something she would eat even if it was only sweetcorn.
But I don't subscribe to the "they'll eat when they're hungry" because I (and my dd would have too) would win on that. I would rather and am capable of not eating if I don't like the food.
I also have food issues from being made to eat certain foods I didn't like as a child, so I don't agree with making a child eat.
What I did was:
Provide a plate of small amount of a variety of food (they can always ask for seconds) and make sure there is something that they will eat on the plate, even if it's only small.
If they don't eat anything just take it away without commenting.
You can make them want to eat something by making it fun (my mum got me eating sprouts by telling me they were fairy cabbages), but don't expect them to try everything.
Have healthy snacks around. I went for carrot sticks, bread sticks and that sort of thing. Leave them where they can get at them. It gives them some control.
if they say they're not hungry then assume they're right.
if they say they don't like it, then don't force it. I don't eat what I don't like-children are allowed tastes too.
And if they do like something new, don't then feed it them 3 times a week because you're so relieved they're eating something new.
Don't withhold treats until they've finished the plate and if they eat the meal in an odd order don't worry.
With dd1 I used to wonder why parents let their children eat the treats before the sandwiches in packed meals. With dd2 (once she was a bit older!) I discovered why. If I insisted she ate the sandwich first, then she ate nothing. if I just left her she ate the cake, then the fruit, then the sandwich.
Don't make them stay up at the table while everyone else is finishing after a reasonable go at the food.
Another thing I did when she was small was if she'd eaten nothing, then sometimes I'd send her off to play and put the plate of food somewhere where she could reach it herself. About half the time she'd then eat some of it while playing.
And repeat to yourself "it's a phase."
I have 3 dc. DD1 ate everything as a baby or toddler. She then was quite ill aged 8yo and went off nearly everything. She only started trying more things when she was 18yo, having had 10 years of surviving on a limited diet.
DD2 ate nothing, then as she got older started trying more and now eats reasonably well.
Ds ate well, and still does, but has never been particularly keen on meat. He has a piece when we have roast, but mostly has veg.
It really was nothing I did between them. It was personality and likes rather than me causing it. So don't worry. He'll eat fine when he's a bit older. Just try and not make a thing of it, and he'll come round.