Let him go hungry??

[marge2]

My DS2 aged 2.9 is a dreadfully fussy eater. I won't go into all the details as it's all been said before - suffice it to say I am down to the 'send him to bed hungry' option. Has anyone actually managed to get a hungry 2.9 year old to go to bed without sobbing for toast?

So far I have always caved and given him a yoghurt or toast just before bed rather than actually be that heard hearted!

He's been all day before with no food because he refuses what I have made ( that he liked last week!) - just not been to bed hungry before.

I know he won't die - I just also know he will give me the night from hell!

Help??

Personally I wouldn't send him to bed hungry. I'd let him eat what he wanted (within reason) as he will most likely grow out of it. If he sees you and others eating well then he is more likely to copy so as long as he's sitting at the table while you eat then it wouldn't bother me.

I wouldn't want to give him any food issues. My ds1 sometimes likes things one week and doesn't the next, just one of those things and not worth stressing about.

We tried the "go hungry" option with DS1 when he was a similar age.....it lasted about 1 week and then I gave in and went back to feeding him what he wanted (within reason) as he literally didn't eat and I figured that "something" was better than nothing - never tried it with DS2 and shan't with DS3. I think some children do respond well to it - but my experience is of a child who just stopped eating completely!

Half the problem is that he WILL NOT sit at the table 99% of the time. DH, DS1 (4) and I all eat perfectly sensibly at the table. DS2 will sit and eat ONLY IF he is very hungry and if AND ONLY IF he likes the food (waffles, chicken dippers and other such crap) but if I offer anything else he wants to get down from the table and nothing I can do will stop him. The whole meal ends up in chaos with him creating havoc and trying to pull me away from my food to play with him.

It really does stress me out - I do my best not to show him this as I know it will make matters worse. WHEN will he grow out of it????

My ds1 never used to sit at the table for long, a couple of mouthfuls and he'd want to get down. For his age I think that is ok actually as they don't have long attention spans.

Personally I would let him get on with it and let him see you all eating together, at some point he will want to sit with you all longer.

Ds1 has been a good eater for some time now and sits at the table with us. He was 4 at the end of Oct but had been like that for months. He even now asks if he can leave the table, I never asked him to do that so I have no idea where that came from!

Maybe give him food he likes but also put the healthy food on the plate too. I would go over the top in praising the vegetables/food he doesn't like when you eat it, so let him hear you saying how lovely and amazing it tastes. His curiosity may get the better of him

my dd1 is very fussy or at least has been. now at 4and half she goes through phases where she will be quite adventurous and eat all sorts of things then go back to only eating pasta with butter. i have in the past tried everything and eventually given up on forcing her cos it never works we end up fighting and it doesnt seem to make any difference in the long run. I guess one day she will eat normally and i cant wait for that day.

I have done the nothing until breakfast method, and it worked for me.

I always make sure there is something the Ds like on their plate rather than giving them something completely new.

No pudding or supper if they haven't made a good effort to eat their tea!

Perhaps I am a cold hearted witch, but I think your DS knows if he doesn't eat his tea you will let him have toast later anyway.

You could perhaps have fruit as the only supper option if you think he really is hungry.

I let my ds go hungary and he eats almost everything now, although small amounts. He is 3.10 and its only the last 2-3 months that he has asked for anything to eat. I don't make things that he dislikes and I don't force him to eat anything, but the meal is the meal and there isn't an alternative. I think it worked for me but he ate very little for over a year, frequently having nothing for 1-2 days at a time.

If my ds doesn't eat what is in front of him i will take it away nothing more said and he wont get anything else. But if I know he hasn't eaten all day i will give him something light before bedtime. Last night he had a bagel. He is also the same age as your ds. I would try to get him eating things on toast or closed toasted sandwichs? My thing is i was a fussy eater and i hated being told that i must eat before i can leave the table and the food would make me gag.
It is difficult but it will last a couple of days and then back to normal.
I think my ds gets bored of what i am offering him sometimes.

It sounds ike I am just going to have to wait until he is a bit older and understand that he NEEDS some fruit and veggies in his diet. He will not eat them voluntarily now. Perhaps he is a bit young to do the hungry thing on re WHAT he eats but I would dearly love him to eat with us and not in front of the TV which is the only way I can get him to eat any veggis at all. He is concentrating on the TV and not oon detecting hidden veg!

my DS1 has always been a fantastic eater from the minute he was weaned so perhaps I am being unrealistic!