My 4yr old won't eat...and now his sister too!

Victoria - posted on 01/17/2009

Thank you for your posts...my mom always told me I should just cut back on the snacks...even though they are healthy snacks; they aren't saving room for their meals. So I started this morning with breakfast and then nap now...so, no snacks till lunch and then dinner...
I guess I am afraid of starving them or something...so I constantly feed them all day long...when they ask I get them something...either an apple or string cheese or yogurt or graham crackers..., but I need to focus more on meals now!
Thanks again...I'm gonna try...

Danielle - posted on 01/16/2009

I would say that their snacking needs to be limited. If they are snacking all day then of course they don't have room for dinner. My son was a picky eater and like you I was not into making what he wanted to eat all the time because that is not realistic. He was three and ond day he did not want to eat dinner. So I told him okay but that meant that he would not get his evening snack. He said okay and walked away. That morning he got up earlier than usual and was starving!-lol But I told him he needed to go back to bed because it was not breakfast time yet and that those of us who chose to ear dinner were not ready to eat yet. I let him sweat it and got up to make breakfast. While  he ate breakfast and I explained to him that the reason why he was hungry was because he did not eat dinner and he should consider that the next time. This went on for  about three days if I remember correctly. He finally got it and started eating dinner. The days he did not like it he ate a little slower with a look of despair on his face but now he is 6 and he loves dinner time. Hope this helps.

Eugenie - posted on 01/16/2009

I'm with Janet Judd on this one. With my two, I have even gotten into the habit of telling them, "if you don't eat you'll have to take nap hungry" or "if you don't eat and get your energy up, you won't have enough energy to play later." I also try to teach my son the nutritional value of the foods he eats(even if he doesn't understand WHY he needs it), he knows that his meats and peanut butter give him his protein, his fruits and veggies give him vitamins and minerals, etc. I think it makes him feel like he has some special knowledge to know these things too.

Janet - posted on 01/16/2009

I have a little girl that isn't into eating all to much. I never vary from when I feed snacks or meals. and if she chooses not to eat than she doesn't get anything later. It's kind of eat now or forever hold your peace. She has learned that if she doesn't eat when it's offered she has to feel hungry till the next meal time. It's worked so far. When she is hungry she eats. When shes not she tells me.