How can I get DS to eat? (long-sorry)

[my3kids]

You will laugh at this, but I promise, it is worth a try. I had one that wouldn't eat either. I got a box of the little sword shaped cocktail skewers. I cut things into cube shapes and he could eat whatever he wanted with his spear. I promise you, it worked! If you put a pirate's eye patch on him for dinner, it just might even work better!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by my3kids
You will laugh at this, but I promise, it is worth a try. I had one that wouldn't eat either. I got a box of the little sword shaped cocktail skewers. I cut things into cube shapes and he could eat whatever he wanted with his spear. I promise you, it worked! If you put a pirate's eye patch on him for dinner, it just might even work better!

With a 4yo that would probably work!

T&B

 

[snoopy]

I'm with those who say you gotta get rid of the junk. Just don't buy it. I had to do that with my youngest, he wouldn't eat ANY veggies or fruit. He's slowly getting better. I never force anything on him, but I don't give him multiple choices. He eats what we have, or he doesn't eat. He's skinny, but he's healthy, so I guess that is all that matters!

I love some of the suggestions here -- especially the skewer idea!

 

[decker96]

my3kids -- That is so funny! But, it would probably work with him. I will have to look for those next time I'm at the store.

We do have very little junk food in the house, fruit snacks would be the only thing that would qualify. We do have popsicles, but those are only for a treat after dinner and he knows he has to eat a good dinner to get one. DH and I determine if he's eaten enough to get one.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[bigbabyblues]

My almost 4-yo is a good eater most of the time. On the occasion that he doesn't want to eat, he gets to sit at the table for 20 minutes. If, at that point he isn't eating and hasn't bothered to, he gets down, and he doesn't get anything else that night until he finishes his dinner, or a reasonable amount of it. I don't fix "special" foods just for him, he gets what we're eating, as does my 1-year old. I don't buy junk food, he loves those fruit snack things, but only gets them at DH grandma's, and only one pack when he's there, no more than that. He doesn't get juice very often, he'd love to fill up on it, but nothing doing.

DH cousin has a dd almost the same age, and she eats chicken nuggets for lunch and dinner EVERY day (no joke) because she doesn't like anything else. Her mom said she didn't know what to do about it, then turns around and fixes them for her. I wouldn't do it, but it's her child. The child doesn't know if she likes anything else, because she won't try at ALL, and it's just easier, because her mom doesn't want to fool with it. It was funny, when they were here last month, DS (3) had two cookies and tried to give her one; she wouldn't take it, said she had never had that kind before and she didn't like it. DS's response (without prompting): "You should at least try stuff, you might like it. Can't eat chicken nuggets all the time"! This was a fear of mine, I have a 19-year old brother who eats only cheese pizza (and he won't just pick other stuff off, plain cheese is it), mac & cheese, french fries and tater tots. That's it, nothing else. Wonder why his cholesterol is high?????

Steph--jumping off my bandwagon now

 

[hydster]

I've got 1 super fussy eater, 1 semi picky eater and 1 who will eat almost anything. For the picky ones we do a few things

1. They do NOT get another dinner in our house. I fix 1 meal..if you don't want it that's fine but you don't get your own special dinner.

2. If you don't eat your dinner that's ok with us. Depending on how much they ate they either can have us save it and heat it up when they get hungry again later or if they don't want that option that's fine too..the rule is if you don't eat your meal you get nothing until the next meal (even if it means they go to bed hungry).

3. We give them choices. You can either try a bite of the peas OR you can try a bite of the broccoli. You can try a bite of Cauliflower OR you can eat a piece of wheat bread. Whatever it is I usually pick the 2 least favorite things on the menu and let them choose. Sometimes they surprise me with what I think they will pick and what they actually pick.

4. As for snacks..if they don't want to eat what we have they can wait for the next meal.

So far my most picky has found to be really fond of broccoli, corn on the cob, wild rice and peas. It has taken awhile to get there but it gets easier each meal.

If you have food that they can eat but won't I'd just keep on the choices thing and they won't starve. Eventually he'll eat something just because he's hungry. It may be ugly for a day or two but stick to it! My ped recommended it from a parenting book that has helped me tremendously called Parenting with Love and Logic. It empowers kids to make choices and then accept the consequences. We have found it works in most situations!

Heidi

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I have 4 kids all 4 are very picky. However I am coming at this from my own point of view. I as a child was the worlds pickiest eater. While the rest of the <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=family&v=56">family</a> had steak and potatoes. I would eat a salad or a bowl of radishes. I was never made anything differant and I never changed to adapt to what they were eating I simply ate the salad or nothing. I have never eaten meat and am severly allergic to fish and shellfish.

All 4 of my children do not eat any meat, Dad, nana etc have always pushed it none will eat it.
Pasta is big in my <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&v=56">house</a> with all 4 kids. Potato Gnochis are a fave. My ds4 has had them 4 days this with with homemade red sauce from the garden. He will eat any chicken nuggett type of deal, and salad with romaine lettuce and red cabbage only. Hotdogs, waffles, french fries of course and all junk foods. No veggies other than salad no fruit. Cheerrios and milk.

His twin ds4 eats NO hotdogs, but does eat grilled cheees. Bagels and waffles, pasta, chicken nuggetts, french fries, pizza, But he will not eat salad of any kind. But... loves asparagus, and any and all fruit you put in front of him. He would rather have a box of rasberries than anything else.

ds 10 is awful he likes chicken nuggetts and fries, no fruit no veggies. He loves like plain bagels and frozen pizza. He is awful but I don't sweat it. He will survive I did.

dd 17 was really picky as well. same type of deal. but she ate all veggies like me. she has recently started eating everything including things like shrimp and clam strips which are not allowed in my house. all on her own. no child will starve. they will find out what they like in thier own time.`