Moral support needed re:toddler mealtimes.

[snowbodysfool]

I have taken a stand with my 30 mth ds!
He has become more and more fussy at mealtimes.He used to eat a fantastic variety of foods but for the last 10 months he has been eating fewer and fewer.
He will always eat a good breakfast and lunch but the evening meal is a nighmare.I feel as if im cooking a meal for the bin!
I am now offering him his meal and when he refuses it thats it-nothing else.
When he tells me he is hungry i just show him his plate of food and tell him thats his dinner.
He has gone without his evening meals for a few days and is very grumpy till he goes to bed.I know i'm doing the right thing but i still feel like such a cow.It goes against everything a mother is programmed to do.
Am i right to be doing this to try and break his food fussiness?

i too am having trouble with my DD who is 24 months. She used to eat brilliantly but recently stopped eating! I have decided to not stress about it. I still give her what the family eat and also offer her what she likes. if she doesnt eat i dont give treats or puddings and she knows this now so will eat something off her plate! My Son who is now 7 also went through this phase and i remember days of arguing and stress but now he is an amazing eater. be strict, dont give in. I really dont think children starve themselves and they will eat when they are hungry!

thanks bonkers.Its so difficult to keep calm and smiling when he wont even try it.Want to scream at him "eat the bloody food,or even just try it you might bloody like it".AARRGGHH.

I know how you feel but learnt along time ago it aint worth it TBH, DD favourtie food is pasta and chicken. i always give her some pasta in a bowl but also give her everything else. She does pick up stuff and try it. Potatoes is her biggest dislike at minute and she has stopped eating peas and broccolli BUT will eat cauliflower at the moment but i know this wont last long. I do stick to the nothing else till next meal trick though.She may be only 2 but she knows how to play me and DH!!!!!!

think the best thing to do is not be stressed and be consistent. Tonight DD actually ate a spoonfull of carrot and swede mash!! What followed was ridiculous applause and parise but she ate it and that was great.

My dts went through spells of this at that age. It was enough to make me want to give up completely and feed them any old rubbish! But I didn't. I feel for you all! They won't allow themselves to starve though.

They will be 6 in two days time and occassionally still pull this nonsense. Oh wait, you might not want to have heard that.

I'll get my coat...

Oh wait, I'll be helpful.

I found that if I told them their Grandpa ate whatever food it was they were refusing then they would eat it quite happily. They adore their Grandpa, so perhaps try that with someone your dcs love.

Also if I took whatever they were refusing and ate it myself with much enthusiasm it was enough to peak their curiosity and selfishness for them then to demand their dinner back

Its all psychological warfare, not parenthood at all.

He is probably tired. You say he eats a good breakfast and lunch. Well - I wouldn't worry too much about tea. Make sure he has a good lunch, and give him something light and easy to eat for tea, bring his teatime forward half an hour, and maybe his bed time too. He is very small.

thanks everybody.
threeffrogs-tried giving him his main meal(hot food) at lunch time but still no luck i just think he is a really stubborn little tyke!Wonder where he gets that from?