Fussy seven year old AAAARGGHH

[Wallace]

Ds1 (7) has become more and more fussy as he has got older. He goes through phases of loving something, then goes off it completely.

We have tried not to stress about it, but the mealtime stress has been escalating, and ds has been playing up more and more. He also said recently that "eating feels like a punishment"

Has anyone got any strategies that would help? I tend to cook one meal that everyone will eat some of, but it can be tricky. I have always vowed that I am not going to cook different meals for everyone (like my mum did)

We are thinking the way we are going to tackle it fom now on, is to completely ignore whether he is eating his meal or not, and not nag/bribe/comment at all (apart from to praise at the end if he has eaten). Then remove it at the end of the meal whether it is eaten or not. Does this sound okay? I am worried that with this approach he will often leave the table hungry. He has got a good appetite, and eats with gusto the things he likes - a favourite at the moment is eggs.

Sorry for the ramble

bump before I go to bed

one more bump

and I really am off to bed this time

I'll check in the morning to see the tomes of sage advice

only sympathy from me - no advice - I have a fusssy eater too

my 7 year old is so fussy she leaves the crusts off the crustless bread.
other than that - persevere with your strictness, invite friends who eat and he may be encouraged.. or forget to be fussy!
try school meals?

thanks for the sympathy, you two. Strangley enough, ds1 likes crusts

He takes packed lunches to school because I think that the school melas are not healthy, and there is no way ds would eat anything they serve - apart from pizza!

Your 7 year old sounds like mine. She will only eat plain foods, nothing with a sauce or spice, won't eat bread if it has grains in it etc. So she has really simple things like spaghetti with cheese plus peas, fish fingers with rice and carrots, egg and toast. And fruit afterwards. If I try to give her what the rest of us are eating, it ends up being a struggle to get her to eat, and then I'll have to give her a bowl of cereal later. She used to leave much of her packed lunch too, so now she has school meals - I don't know if she eats them though - apart from the puddings that is. One of my theories is that some children have really sensitive tastebuds for genetic reasons and that hopefully it's something they grow out of in time. I could be wrong though!