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Help - food stand off!

5 replies

Whirliwig72 · 22/06/2012 18:19

Hand holding needed please. I've grown so tired of ds1's increasing fussiness that I've made a stand today and I'm not offering any alternatives so if he doesn't eat what he's offered he doesn't get anything else. (It's got to the point where he only eats about 8 things in rotation and although he eats fruit he won't touch vegetables at all ). So anyway breakfast started off well - he at all this toast, blueberries and juice but it's been downhill all day since then. He ate no lunch - fish bites with salad and he's turned up his nose at tea - egg mayo on toast with chicken slices :(. Normally I'd weaken at this point and offer him a load of alternatives but in determined to keep strong this time. Trouble is a little voice in my head is now nagging me not to send him to bed hungry. What would you do?

OP posts:
Whirliwig72 · 22/06/2012 18:42

Update: he's just helped himself to a banana from the kitchen - not sure if this is a good or bad thing. Dinner is still untouched Sad

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 22/06/2012 19:00

Hand here to hold. DS is like that too. He is 3.9 and just this week I have started to be firm about meal times and at least trying everything. No alternatives. If you don't try then nothing til next meal and no bedtime milk. But then, its me that has to deal with a hungry child at 4 am.

Whirliwig72 · 22/06/2012 19:06

Thanks B- that's just it isn't it - who wants to deal with hungry tummies in the middle of the night? I'm too busy feeding the baby then Wink

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BikeRunSki · 22/06/2012 22:48

Whirli - DD is 8 months old and sleeps pretty well. That why waited until now to confront DS and his eating. I can only deal with one child in the night!

Uberly · 23/06/2012 14:55

Another hand to hold here Whirliwig! I have a similar-ish story, with a happy end to the story...so hoping this will provide you with some positive encouragement!

My DS was a very fussy eater when he was younger (now 10). Until about the age of 8 he would only eat certain meals...like yours, about 8ish meals (was happy to eat as much fast food and sweets/crisps, etc!! Typically!) He wouldn't touch fruit or vegetables.

This really frustrated me. I tried the "well this is the only thing to eat", but couldn't face giving him nothing to eat. I read many articles on what to do and the method that worked was a long process and caused much frustration but ultimately worked!

I kept offering him to try new foods, vegetables or fruit. If I was preparing a vegetable, I'd ask him if he wanted to try it. He'd say no. Articles I read said that you have to offer them a new food several times (maybe 10+ times) before they will try it. Eventually, he tried it...and lo and behold, he liked it! I'd let him try a small part of my dinner. Most of the time he said he didn't want to.

The thing is not to be too pushy about it. That's whats so frustrating! In my experience, you have to offer it to him with no pressure. If he says "no", then it's a smile back and a "that's ok" reply. Softly, softly! But you keep asking (still with no pressure).

Eventually (this took around a year....so long process!) he eats more or less anything!! There's very few meals he won't eat. There's very vegetables he won't eat - he even likes sprouts and cabbage! However, he still won't try fruit (but hey, he's eating veg!) He now echoes what I've been saying all along "it's good to try new things!" He's even eating fresh mussels and sushi!

Like I said, it's a long, frustrating process. I tried to make his plate of food look entertaining, like creating a face, etc. Calling broccoli, "trees", cauliflower "snowy trees"! But now he's eating a huge range of food.

I hope this is of help and encouragement for you.

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