My six year is extremely picky when eating?

Andrea - posted on 08/30/2012

My 6 yr old is extremely picky too. She weighs about 36 lbs. I used to make her try everything, but if she doesn't like something she will puke it up. So I just provide a lot of options, things I know she likes, and things I hope she will try.

Cynthia - posted on 08/23/2012

Don't worry, it is not unusual for a 6 year old not to eat much. I have 2 sons that are now 16 and 15. When they were 6 years old, they didn't seem to eat enough, but as they got older, their appetites increased greatly. So, while they were younger, I always gave them children's vitamins to make sure they received the nutrients that their bodies needed until their appetites got a boost. At their current ages, they are very healthy and avid sports players.

Jakki - posted on 08/17/2012

I don't know what Pediasure Sidekicks is, but I would just focus on having healthy natural food around for when your boy does get hungry.

Whatever it is, if it is not a natural foodstuff, could it be contributing to the fact he wont eat normal food? ie It might be filling him up so he can continue to be picky about normal food.

I believe a lot of kids are picky eaters these days because we all feed them too many snacks between meals. They never really get hungry enough to eat something they don't absolutely like.

Well that's my theory anyway!

Christy - posted on 08/15/2012

My 6 year old daughter is a fairly picky eater as well, and she has been for years. I mean, she didn't want to eat baby food. Combine that with the fact that she's on the go from the moment she wakes up until she passes out at night, and we have an almost 4 foot tall, 42 pound little thing. My pediatrician said to focus on things that she will eat and just introduce the other things. The more you introduce them, the more she'll start to eat them. I'm happy to say that she just ate steak the other day which is something that she has never liked before, and she loves it. She loves broccoli and fresh spinach simply because she saw someone eating it and they gave her a little.

Keep trying to get your son to eat more, and remember not to stress about it.

Vicki - posted on 08/10/2012

My 6 year old daughter (Lesley) is a very picky eater as well. On top of that she also has ADHD and her meds make her appetite completly gone. I have started her on Pediasure, but getting her to eat is quite a challenge. If you offer a popsicle then of course she is all for it, but anything that might even remotely be good for her, she wrinkles her nose and says "yuck"...I can't even begin to imagine how much money we have wasted on either making food at home she won't eat or going to a restaurant and spending money on food she won't eat.

Amy - posted on 08/09/2012

Stephanie, at one point we were making my son take a bite for every year old he was. So at 4 he had to take 4 bites before he could say he didn't want anymore or didn't like it. We don't do that anymore but occassionally if we make something new we ask him to take at least one bite to say he doesn't like it. At 5 my son went through a phase where he kept saying he didn't want to eat meat anymore. I simply told him ok than you have to eat beans, or peanut butter (foods that offered proteins), he wouldn't eat the alternatives so I told him he had to keep eating meat.

I would just tell your family that you have discussed your concerns with the pediatrician and he feels that he is growing appropriately and has stated that he isn't overly concerned about your sons diet.

Laura - posted on 08/09/2012

Tell you family members how you are raising you son they should have no say in it! how ever I am big at you have to at least try what ever I make. my child (who is 5) may not like it but she will at least try it and make her decision off of that.

Stephanie - posted on 08/09/2012

Thanks Amy - My son will eat the pasta too without the sauce. The thing that drives me the craziest is everyone around him and their opinion. If im not around and he is with certain family members outside of the home they try to force him to eat by chewing him and then chewing me out. Drives me crazy.

Amy - posted on 08/08/2012

Your 6 year old weighs 6 lbs more than my son who has been hanging at 39 lbs. I let my son graze throughout the day, it's too much for him to sit down at a meal and eat all at once. However there are times that I tell him he "has" to eat something because he can literally go all day without eating if we let him. Just make sure you are offering him healthy foods to eat throughout the day. I know parents say don't make your kids separate meals but I make sure there are foods that my son likes at dinner, if I'm making spaghetti and meatballs I leave some meatballs aside because my son doesn't like sauce. For breakfast and lunch my son can choose what he wants to eat, sometimes he eats the same thing for days at a time but at least he's eating.