Toddlers and veg!

[emmalou061987]

Awww Hun that sounds horrendous! She always been fussy then? Or is there an aspect of body image now? I ate like that as a teen cos I was taller and bigger built than my petite friends and they weighed 6/7 stone and I weighed 9! I thought I was huge and refused to eat barely anything for 2 years! Just plain boiled rice, bit of chocolate and the odd chip basically! I'm lucky of Amarla has a healthy appetite really it's just the select things she won't touch and it does go from really bad days to good ones! And if I put food on the table she would snack at it from morning till night as long as it weren't veg lol! Can't imagine how stressful meal times are for you! Does she see a (can't spell it for the life of me it's too early) person to talk to doctor thing! Wow that just made me look special!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

 

[lila22]

Awww Hun that sounds horrendous! She always been fussy then? Or is there an aspect of body image now? I ate like that as a teen cos I was taller and bigger built than my petite friends and they weighed 6/7 stone and I weighed 9! I thought I was huge and refused to eat barely anything for 2 years! Just plain boiled rice, bit of chocolate and the odd chip basically! I'm lucky of Amarla has a healthy appetite really it's just the select things she won't touch and it does go from really bad days to good ones! And if I put food on the table she would snack at it from morning till night as long as it weren't veg lol! Can't imagine how stressful meal times are for you! Does she see a (can't spell it for the life of me it's too early) person to talk to doctor thing! Wow that just made me look special!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

She is 5foot 6 and weights seven stone, she has just put on weight so that's good.
She has always been fussy, I do her tea and she has it in kitchen while I make mine, I really try not to eat at same time although when we go to my partners at the weekends we all eat together as has the patients to sit and make sure she eats. Although always ends up very stressful.
One day she likes toast Burnt so I do it like this then she doesn't like it like that!
It's so tiring, she has ADHD so that's why she is weighed and sees a specialist, I have ME so always tired so it's quite a problem in our house.
The doctor said at weekends when she dreads proper meals like casserole which she hates I should compromise and make her what she wants!!! I was furious, I said no way she eats it and that's that!! She eats her own meals in the week so she eats what we dish up at weekends, I had to as a kid! She needs to no you can't always have your own way in life!
May sound harsh but to many kids grow up not knowing what no means! Xx

 

[mm29]

To the person who said I let my baby have unhealthy food! She has a digestive biscuit in a morning before nursery cos it's too early and she don't want her breakfast! One digestive does not hurt! Secondly the crisps I give her are low salt, fat an additives etc designed for little ones at snack time! And I'm sorry let her dictate, tell you what you come here and try getting her to eat it and see how you get on! And absolutely nothing wrong with chocolate as a treat! She is very active an smarter than most my age! She is very advanced and has no problem learning! I am a very strict parent and spend a lot of time teaching her and playing with her! She just don't like red meat an veg! Sure there is food your kids don't like and your chatting crap of they like absolutely everything! Cos I ate "everything" according to my mother but I know dam well I didn't like something's! At least I don't sit her in Maccys everyday I get off my arse cook her fresh food and try her every day with something that she either hasn't eaten before or has refused in the past! When I listed what she eats I did not say she has that everyday! And seen as she has fruit with every meal think your being a bit judgemental there love!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

Firstly I didn't say my girls liked everything, there is a difference between not liking something and refusing to eat it. One daughter doesn't like mushrooms another doesn't like sprouts and the youngest turnip, but if we are having it I still put it on the plate and ask then to try it.

I believe you are teaching your child from a young age it's ok not to eat breakfast and have a biscuit, all because she doesn't want to eat it.

I'm sorry I am trying to help I'm finding it hard to understand why a baby is getting a biscuit for breakfast then crisps and chocolate if she isn't eating a proper meal.

Our children are what we teach them but we will agree to disagree.

 

[mm29]

MM, it's a bit like telling an Anorexic to stop being silly and just eat some food or a smoker to just quit because they know how bad smoking is.

If only it was that simple. :-/

For anyone else struggling with a fussy eater, please read the thread link below. Hopefully, you will find it supportive, realise you're not alone and that it has **** all to do with your parenting skills.

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/behaviour_development/a1353317-The-incredibly-fussy-eaters-thread

HTH. x

I disagree we are talking about a baby's eating habits,

Children of this age don't know whats right and wrong so why allow them to choose, it's our job as parents to show them the right way,

I have seen first hand a parent at her wits end with her son and up to the age of 5 he would only eat turkey shapes things but she found the strength to put her foot down and made a proper tea and if he didn't eat it then no snacks or alternative meal, she started off with basic bland food and it took a few weeks but now he loves his food and eats very healthily,

 

[lila22]

I disagree we are talking about a baby's eating habits,

Children of this age don't know whats right and wrong so why allow them to choose, it's our job as parents to show them the right way,

I have seen first hand a parent at her wits end with her son and up to the age of 5 he would only eat turkey shapes things but she found the strength to put her foot down and made a proper tea and if he didn't eat it then no snacks or alternative meal, she started off with basic bland food and it took a few weeks but now he loves his food and eats very healthily,

I agree had I not given her so many "choices" and chicken airplanes with potato smileys I may not have a battle on my hands now!
X

 

[emmalou061987]

Yeh I do her set meals and if she don't eat it then she only gets fruit as an alternative, but that's just t bed time so she has eaten before bed. But makes no difference she will just not eat if she don't have her dinner. She has set times for food that fit in with nursery, which is breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Then before nursery she has a biscuit for the walk to nursery as it's quite a trek for her to walk. Though she generally only has a bit of it cos she is too distracted from all the walking! Mm I will agree to disagree else I will lose my temper arguing with you. I always make her a plate with everything on! Veg, protein, carbs and then a dessert of fruit and yogurt! But I can't make her eat it of she refuses! Your talking like I don't offer it or encourage her to eat it! It's there with every meal but she don't eat it! If it's blended she won't touch anything on her plate if it's mixed into cheese sauce she picks around it and if it's on her plate in anyway shape or form it is left behind! Simple! She gets fruit and chicken, carbs and the occasional treat! And that's better than a lot of kids iv seen!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

 

[mm29]

Yeh I do her set meals and if she don't eat it then she only gets fruit as an alternative, but that's just t bed time so she has eaten before bed. But makes no difference she will just not eat if she don't have her dinner. She has set times for food that fit in with nursery, which is breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Then before nursery she has a biscuit for the walk to nursery as it's quite a trek for her to walk. Though she generally only has a bit of it cos she is too distracted from all the walking! Mm I will agree to disagree else I will lose my temper arguing with you. I always make her a plate with everything on! Veg, protein, carbs and then a dessert of fruit and yogurt! But I can't make her eat it of she refuses! Your talking like I don't offer it or encourage her to eat it! It's there with every meal but she don't eat it! If it's blended she won't touch anything on her plate if it's mixed into cheese sauce she picks around it and if it's on her plate in anyway shape or form it is left behind! Simple! She gets fruit and chicken, carbs and the occasional treat! And that's better than a lot of kids iv seen!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

As I said I am trying to help, I never said you weren't offering it, personally I would
Offer breakfast (cearel with or without milk to start with)
If she doesn't eat it nothing til lunch
Offer lunch
If she doesn't eat it nothing til tea not even fruit
Offer tea
If she doesn't eat that nothing til breakfast no fruit or yogurt

Fruit is sweet and if she knows that will be offered she will always refuse

As long as she is drinking she will be fine, you could spend the next 10yrs like this or find the strength for two weeks of temper tantrums and put this issue to bed,
I had 3 under 3 (no twins) not so long ago and always followed gina ford.

Have you thought about reading a gina ford book?

 

[AmeliaR]

I seriously wouldn't worry or force her to eat food it will probably make her worse!
My nephew will be 5 next week and just doesn't like eating. He'll have waffles or toast for breakfast cheese sandwich for lunch then for tea sausage fish fingers Yorkshire puddings or pizza! No fruit no veg no bean/spaghetti nothing!
If you say nothing until your Next meal he would be quite happy with that. We've found chopping his food up finger size and while his playing just put it on the side and hell graze he will eat more this way.
Few little tricks we've found or innocent smoothies in cartons for kids on of your 5 a day and no need to buy a juicer. He love the Ella's kitchen mango baby breakie squeezy pouches.. Yes we are giving a 5 year old baby food but it's a pudding after his tea and 1/5 day, veggie sausages! But like any child he'd also happily shove a load of chocolate and biscuits down his mouth.
Don't fuss and make a big deal it only makes then worse though lots of praise when they clear there plate!

 

[emmalou061987]

She does have breakfast! Breakfast is never a problem she just has a biscuit on nursery days which is 3 of them because she has to be there so early an she likes to have breakfast with the other kids! She still has her breakfast! And she has her lunch and dinner it's just not veg and red meat!!! Yesterday was a bad day cos as I realised today she is ill!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

 

[KHS]

Ok looking for inspiration! .....Well last January she got a violent sickness bug and went off everything! And since then all I have manage to get down her is chips, chicken nuggets (occasionally normal chicken), sausage, crisps, biscuits, wheatabix, blueberries, toast, grapes, oranges, strawberries, ice cream and chocolate! Now she won't touch red meat or green veg and she is anaemic having to take medicine! Even after 3 months on it her iron levels haven't lifted! You just can't get the stuff in her mouth to even taste it and as she don't like sauces, blended or mashed food I can't even disguise it!


EmmaLou @BonitaBeauty

Read this thread with huge interest, I had a similar issue Shen my lad was 2, he felt a bit under the weather and wouldn't eat his tea and I made that fatal mistake of.... Well he's got to have something to eat, so I faffed and fussed about unti I found something he would eat... A mixed fruit salad... Perfect - or so I thought...

He then failed to eat anything else but fruit salad - It took me 3 months of tears (mine) tantrums (his lol) stress, heartache and visits to Drs etc...

I got tough, I took away every bit of fruit and hid it away, I made him smoothies to go with breakfast and banned him from solid fruit.

Every lunch time, dinner and tea, I put his food I front of him, when he pushed the plate away demanding a fruit salad I said NO, I was not letting him control the situation any longer, he'd storm upstairs crying, I'd cry lol, he then tried the sweet loving route, love you mummy apple please, with a huge grin....nope

I struggled on until he cracked when. Little friend came to dinner, he ate everything, praised him, and game him a little fruit salad for pudding,

My son was NOT impressed lol, but stuffed his dinner down and he got rewarded

Problem was solved by removing the stuff he wanted, may not work in your case but worth a shot, have a kiddies tea party but leaving out the crips, biscuits sausages etc just do sandwiches and slices of cucumber, raw carrot, tiny tomatoes etc

Good luck xx

 

[Kristalinx]

They did a documentary series about fussy kids where they brought in nutrition experts to help children with their eating problems. All they did was encourage the really small children to play with their food and feed themselves and the older children were just given the food they wanted on the condition that they try one new thing a week. Seemed completely backwards to me but if worked!

 

[Tigan]

You know your child better than anyone and i think its really good that your trying to find things that he likes, there are so many things to try and their tastes change from time to times as well, there are some things he may not like just now but he will probably like a few months from now.
If you know of a kid that eats everything arrange to bring them round to eat together, he should copy him and eat everything to.
I never agreed with the system of removing food altogether until they are hungry enough to eat anything, i know you don't agree with this either, its an old fashioned method, it just brings about Another problem later on in primary school age, they start to see food (or rather, withheld food) as a form of punishment, which can lead to alot of problems later on.

 

[mm29]

You know your child better than anyone and i think its really good that your trying to find things that he likes, there are so many things to try and their tastes change from time to times as well, there are some things he may not like just now but he will probably like a few months from now.
If you know of a kid that eats everything arrange to bring them round to eat together, he should copy him and eat everything to.
I never agreed with the system of removing food altogether until they are hungry enough to eat anything, i know you don't agree with this either, its an old fashioned method, it just brings about Another problem later on in primary school age, they start to see food (or rather, withheld food) as a form of punishment, which can lead to alot of problems later on.

I'm intrigued, what are the lots of problems later on?

 

[jujojones]

I'm intrigued, what are the lots of problems later on?

Sorry to jump in! creating a negative relationship with food early in life has been proven to be linked with eating disorders later in life!



Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[mm29]

Sorry to jump in! creating a negative relationship with food early in life has been proven to be linked with eating disorders later in life!



Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek mobile app

And allowing children to dictate what they eat leads to obesity.
I'm quite happy with my childrens eating habits and they do not have a negative relationship with food quite the opposite,
Op stated a list of foods which her daughter will only eat, didn't sound a healthy diet for a 18th month old baby, so I was trying to help.

If I'm going to spend money and time cooking a meal my girls will appreciate that and if they don't want to eat it so be it but they will not get anything else, their choice. Maybe an old fashioned attitude but it works for my family and my girls don't have any eating issues.
So was trying to help,

 

[ch-ela]

And allowing children to dictate what they eat leads to obesity.
I'm quite happy with my childrens eating habits and they do not have a negative relationship with food quite the opposite,
Op stated a list of foods which her daughter will only eat, didn't sound a healthy diet for a 18th month old baby, so I was trying to help.

If I'm going to spend money and time cooking a meal my girls will appreciate that and if they don't want to eat it so be it but they will not get anything else, their choice. Maybe an old fashioned attitude but it works for my family and my girls don't have any eating issues.
So was trying to help,

I agree with you.

If you ever go to a slimming world/weight watcher evening, or a similar diet club, you will often hear that people have issues because they were made to eat their whole plate empty whether they were still hungry or not and people being rewarded with sweet foods.

I don't agree with giving "lots of praise when they clear their plates" as was advised in an earlier post. They need to learn when they have had enough and are full.

 

[ch-ela]

I never agreed with the system of removing food altogether until they are hungry enough to eat anything, i know you don't agree with this either, its an old fashioned method, it just brings about Another problem later on in primary school age, they start to see food (or rather, withheld food) as a form of punishment, which can lead to alot of problems later on.

The idea is that the day is not primarily focused on food. The child will tell you when they feel hungry, rather than the adult trying to guess this, and will then be offered healthy food. It then has the choice to eat or not what was on offer.
It's much the same as baby led weaning, which is not old fashioned at all. In fact I wish I had known of this when mine were small.
This way, children have a much healthier relationship to food, which is, when all is said and done, fuel to keep the body going.