My picky 2 year old eater?! ARGH!

[Bridget399]

Have you ever had her pick out things to try when she goes grocery shopping with you? Or had her help prepare the meal? I know you wouldn't hand her a butcher knife and have her dice onions... but maybe measure and mix milk for the chocolate pudding?
It doesn't sound like she's really eating all that bad... I would have never ate smoked salmon as a kid!
Don't let her hear you say that she's a "picky eater", that will only reinforce it.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I've tried that with my son. He'll see something and say 'Mmmmm! That looks yummy!' Until I ask him if he would like some, or if he would eat it if I bought it....'No mommy, it looks yummy for you and grampa'

I thought my two older boys were picky when they were little, they have nothing on my youngest!! He thinks bologna sandwiches and chicken nuggets are a food group. Corn (whole kernel, canned) is the ONLY type of vegetable he will eat, other than iceberg lettuce, and that's only if it (the lettuce) is on a taco. Mashed potatoes MUST be a food group, that's about the only side-dish he'll eat. He won't touch macaroni noodles, no matter what they have on them, but he loves spaghetti with grated parmesan. He hates any and all other types of cheese. The absolute only thing he will eat for breakfast is cereal, and that is only occassionally. Then it has to be 'fruity' or 'chocolatey'. He has even gotten to where he won't eat pizza, which stinks. At least then he was kinda getting all the groups. He won't touch milk, but he loves ice cream. And he won't eat bread, unless there is a piece of bologna in the middle. Plus he only likes hot dogs plain, no bread

Hot dogs is a new edition, since he started going to preschool last fall. Oh yeah, he will eat just about anything with rice in it, as long as there are no veggies.

I swear, I don't know what to do with this kid!!

I have even tried the 'eat this or you're not eating' tactic....didn't work. He would rather starve himself than eat something he doesn't want. If by chance I get something he won't normally eat inside his mouth, he will purposely throw up.....Don't you just love kids??

Oh, btw, he is 4 1/2, in case anyone was wondering

His pickiness has gotten worse since we moved here from FL a year ago. Don't ask me why.

 

[CritterHill]

I think most kids will do well if you just say, eat or you get nothing. Eventually they will eat. Most. Not all.

My then 3 year old ended up losing weight, her docs freaked out, ran all sorts of tests and concluded that she was a picky eater and I should cater to her tastes! At the time, she had a VERY limited set of foods she would eat, but at least they were reasonably healthy. Nothing scarier than watching your 3 year old wasting away in front of your eyes.

She will be 6 in 2 weeks, and her variety of foods has increased quite a bit! She can always find something at cookouts and parties that she likes (thankfully baked beans is one of her favorites! You can always find them at a BBQ!)

She's still only 36 pounds though...

 

[HobokenChickenEmergency]

I have the opposite problem with my youngest step-daughter.

She's 10. She won't eat ANY dairy products, except cheese on a burger or pizza. Plain cheese alone is "gross".

Also "gross" is lettuce, any formerly frozen or canned vegetable, and any meat that's not hamburger or nugget-shaped chicken.

She only drinks Coke, Mountain Dew or Kool-Aid at home. The girl has 4 of her adult teeth capped, because they literally break off if you look at her cross-eyed. Tons of fillings, too.

I'm the mean step-mom because I make her drink chocolate milk at our house, instead of soda. White milk is even "grosser"

Her dad doesn't give me a lot of support on the food issue, because he "only sees her every other weekend" and he doesn't want to spend the whole time arguing with her over food. IMO, that's a cop out. He lived with her every day until she was 6, and she ate whatever she wanted then, too.

I say, if your dd is eating healthy, don't worry about charts and choosiness. It could be a lot worse.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

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I have a feeling I'm going to be a bad parent. I'm of the mindset of "they'll eat it when they get hungry enough."

 

[redhen]

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I have a feeling I'm going to be a bad parent. I'm of the mindset of "they'll eat it when they get hungry enough."

Ditto. It wont hurt a kid to go a bit hungry. Unless there is a medical issue or something..

 

[annanicole18]

Quote:
I have a feeling I'm going to be a bad parent. I'm of the mindset of "they'll eat it when they get hungry enough."

i think i will be joining you in the bad parent category lol thats how i was raised and that is how it will go

 

[gabrielle1976]

It really works for most kids to say thats dinner , lunch whatever and if youre hungry eat it if youre not dont.
There are a few kids that really will starve them selfs some turn it into a control issue and theres the whole eating disorder thing .
My son didnt like to eat period not drink milk or water or eat food at all till he was over a year and a half old , the lengths that I would go thru to get him to put any fluid or solid in his body was insaine and scary about the time he was two he started eating failry normally though now I have to untrain him , it use to be if he was willing to put it in his mouth he could have it no matter what as he was literly starving and dehydrated half the time. ( he had surgry on his throat at just under 5 months) and we were hospitalized about a dozen times that first 18 months for dehydraition and stuff . But now Im a lot stricter , I dont serve all things I know he dosnt like but he dosnt get pizza all day every day ether , I know what fruits he likes and I usally stick to that list for fruits .. for veggies all he will eat is salads so thats what we do and I am slowly introduceing new stuff all the time. He has a pretty good range of things he will eat now So if I make something I know he has eaten befor and he wont eat it then its get down youre done and no you cant hve anything else tillt he next meal end of story. He is 4 and wieghs about 32 pounds so I thin we are ok.

I do kinda think its mean to serve things you know they dont like regardless of there feelings though, shure make shure they have a verity and dont let them eat only tater tots and nuggets but how would you feel if you had to eat things you didnt like every meal every day .. it would kinds suck So I think as a parent you should take there tastes into consideration all though they shoudnt get to dictate.

 

[chickenlittle32]

I know how you all feel about the "picky eater" children. I have 3 boys...none eat pudding, oatmeal, or anything else that is "mushy". My oldest would eat fresh fruit and veggies. The only type of meat he would eat was chicken....We tried the "he will eat when he's hungry"....He'd go to bed without eating. So, eventually, we'd cater to what he likes...He still won't eat can or frozen corn...but will eat corn on the cob...won't eat ANY type of bean...and needs ketchup with EVERYTHING. (he is now 12) My middle child didn't start off picky...he was a good eater..but had stomach issues...He is now very picky...loves eggs, and meat, and that's about it...still has stomach issues tho...

He is 9 and about 42 lbs... My youngest, he loves everything...especially cereal and milk...LOL...He is 8...and about 50 lbs...

 

[gabrielle1976]

nvm