Page 6 | Are faddy eaters born or made?

Tortington · 29/04/2006 20:29

when we were skint and the kids were younger they ate anything that was given to them.

no they know they have a choice they say "i dont like" and say " kiss my arse"

joelalie · 30/04/2006 08:09

MorningPaper,

a lad in DS's class sounds similar. He eats fruit, a little veg, no dairy apart from certain types of yoghurt, no meat, only uncooked pasta and super noodles, breadsticks, granary bread and crisps. I think that's about it. His mother tried to sort him out when younger but he wasn't having any of it. He's 9 and doing fine, physically and educationally.He's simply a pita to have round for tea

TravelFiend · 30/04/2006 08:35

Anybody here experience of babies in a developing country? Do they have the luxury of being fussy or are they offered so little variety they have no choices?

blueshoes · 30/04/2006 14:06

Travelchoice, given the choice between eating what little is offered or starving, I can safely hazard a guess that at some point, a child's survival instinct will kick in. But I don't suppose that many of us would go to that extent to get our children to eat what we serve up, living as we do in the land of milk and honey

motherinferior · 30/04/2006 15:03

I have absolutely no idea whether they're born or made. I have two daughters who will both eat absolutely anything in a group situation - they're famous for eating their bodyweight at their childminder's - and can be thoroughly fussy at home. No idea.

I think there are probably some home enviroments where food is even more of a loaded issue than it is in most of them (my own upbringing had elements of this).

WellieMum · 30/04/2006 22:17

Travelfiend - I've seen toddlers in hospital in Africa hoovering up boiled spinach, boiled potatoes, boiled carrots, boiled brocolli... you get the picture.

They'd finish everything on their plates and then nick stuff from their neighbours.

They came from homes where there was very little food and were malnourished, often with vitamin deficiencies. They knew at some level that they needed this stuff.

Having seen that, I find it hard to worry about fussy developed-world children.

mumtoone · 01/05/2006 20:36

I believe fussy eaters are probably born with less interested in food than others and the problem is exacerbated by how you deal with the issue. My ds eats a wide variety of food but will not touch vegetables despite them being on his plate every mealtime. I believe he is a lazy eater and therefore only eats the food that fills him up and leaves the rest. He will however eat vegetables within dishes such as casseroles and shepherds pie.

TravelFiend · 02/05/2006 12:31

Hi Welliemum, yes your experience must have given you some perspective... I`m continuing being really strict with my toddler but feel quite mean as she only really asks for healthy options. BUT children should eat what´s put in front of them shouldn´t they, and not be in the decision-making role re their nutrition.. Can´t bear the idea of bringing up a difficult eater!

blueshoes · 02/05/2006 12:36

Travelfiend, if your dd only asks for healthy food and eats what is in front of her, then I am guessing your dd does not have a problem with food? You may not like the idea of a faddy eater, but that is the reality of us mothers with dyed-in-the-wool faddy eaters (if
you buy the theory they are born).

I did not like the idea of waking up 3 times an hour at night either. But that was one of my many crosses to bear - sighhhhh

Blandmum · 02/05/2006 12:37

to a degree born , I think. Ds was awful (gradualy getting better) dd eats anything and everything (she is the elder of the two) I weaned 'em both the same way. Two very different kids. I also belong to the eat it or leave it school of mothering.

Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 12:42

born. I have four and only one is a fussy eater, and they have all been raised the same. You might see malnourished children hoovering the plate, but I'm hardly going to let my child get to that stage to make him eat what he doesn't like and that is what it would take!

TravelFiend · 02/05/2006 22:01

Blueshoes, my problem is DD only asks for healthy stuff but won´t necessarily ask for it when I have it or won´t eat it when it´s put in front of. So a lot of the time I prepare her meals which she won´t eat as she´s holding out for her favourite of the moment food. To me this is a problem! Incredible how young the battle of wills begins! Anyway, I´m praying that being strict now will pay off in the long term. So far, having some success!! (Another early morning tomorrow! ; )

souvenir · 02/05/2006 22:16

Except in cases of really crap parenting, born without a doubt.

BUT you can reinforce AND change if you do it slowly, calmly and consistently. Or so I've found with dd who's just turned 4 and after my continually giving her a meal of things she will eat and things I want her to try on the side, has become a really reasonable eater.

bellbottoms · 02/05/2006 22:44

Bron - but needs to grew...My ds eats everything - off the small number, of thankfully healthy foods I have learnt he likes (ie. fish, mash, broccoli, bananas yogurt and sausages and anything mashed into the above) but it does seem to be a texture thing (though I beleive that bananas has got to be as weird a texture as pasta)...he just pucks up ANYTHING else I give him (plus anythign he's eaten before) v.occasionally has manages carrots/apple if very distracted whilst eating them (plus with eat bread/cheese/biscuit/icecream/eggy bread of course!). oh yes- that's a good tip to the none egg-eaters, eggy bread! Soak bread in egg and fry....with cheese - grate on some cheese (if they like it) and fry more (no oil needed if good pan) ..yum yum.
Any tips on helping with the texxture thing, but avoiding all that pucky clothes washing? (pus having to them
fill up on bread/biscuits as the fish pies run out...)

bellbottoms · 02/05/2006 22:46

sorry i didn't spell check...

WellieMum · 03/05/2006 02:11

Oh, I wasn't suggesting we should starve our toddlers to the point of malnourishment to get them to eat their dinner!

But I think there's quite a bit of evidence (I mean proper evidence, not just my experience described below) that young children are reasonably in tune with their own needs.

I'm definitely in the "born" camp and take my hat off to those dealing with fussy eaters - am lucky to have a good eater dd.

But I've noticed that she does go through phases of wanting particular kinds of food (eg meat or greens or starches) and when I notice this, I go along with it as I think it's probably happening for a reason.

There are limits of course - eg I don't regard a need for hot cross buns as a nutritional emergency .....

Twiglett · 03/05/2006 06:51

well I think some babies can certainly have picky pallettes with hyper-sensitive taste buds

but

contraversially I think picky eaters are generally made .. and not due to 'crap' parenting but due to worry, panic and fear that said parents are doing a bad job because they can't get their child to eat .. I think the less you seem to care the more your child will eat

Twiglett · 03/05/2006 06:51

well I think some babies can certainly have picky pallettes with hyper-sensitive taste buds

but

controversially I think picky eaters are generally made .. and not due to 'crap' parenting but due to worry, panic and fear that said parents are doing a bad job because they can't get their child to eat .. I think the less you seem to care the more your child will eat