3 year old picky eater

Gloria - posted on 12/13/2009

MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS THE SAME...NOT TO WORRY...THEY GO THROUGH STAGES ,SO AS LONG AS YOU KNOW YOU'VE GIVEN HER SOMETHING TO EAT IF THEY REFUSE, DON'T FORCE THEM...EVENTUALLY THEY'LL GET HUNGRY!

Yvonne - posted on 12/10/2009

Thought I would share my experience. I have four children and my 3rd turned out to be the fussy eater. I too am a 3rd child and was also a fussy eater.
(My poor mother...sigh!)
After weeks of complaining about every single meal that was put before him (yes we foolishly let it go on why? sometimes.....lots of the times my husband would be doing the meals and he would pander to him.) Eventually hubby was away for a few days and as I prepared the meal I started to feel disheartened as I new as soon as we sat down he would whinge. (sigh..) So I prepared myself for it so when we sat down and he automatically said " I don't like this" I, in a very calm, loving tone said "That's fine (childs name). If you don't want to eat it you can go to bed. " As I said this I pulled his plate toward the middle of the table.
The rest of the children and myself continued with our meal and ignored him.
He sat for quite some time with his head down, till eventually a hand came up, creeped toward his plate as he mumbled grumpily "I suppose I could eat some"

The same thing happened the next night and I handled it exactly the same and he responded the same, after that I had no problem.

I do remember my 2nd child trying it on me at a younger age (a kid who loves his
food) I remember picking him up and putting him in his cot and saying that's fine. If you can't eat then it's bed time for you. Again it took 2 or three goes to convince him.

Now from my personal experience as a child, my mother would make me eat everything on my plate and I could not have desert till I had done so. Let me tell you the only vegies I liked were potatoes, peas and beens and then it was seasonal. I liked apples, oranges, cherries and grapes. In those days if the fruit or veg was not in season it was not available.
I actually gives thanks to my mother for making me eat all those other "yukky" vegies as when I started to eat at friends houses they to would serve up "yukky vegies" I remember looking at them and thinking "I don't like what is on my plate, but I know how to eat it" and therefore saved embarrassing the host and myself.
I was in my late teens when I discovered asian food made by my sisters fellow student friends and that is when I finally started to like vegies. But my pallet had changed also.
All the best. :)

Alina - posted on 12/10/2009

Quoting Andrea:

My daughter does this also. I just put it in the fridge and when she complains of being hungry I offer it again and tell her that's all she gets until it's gone. She is just trying to get something different, but when she finally figures out I am not going to budge she eats :)

yayyyyyy!!!!!!! go mommy!

Andrea - posted on 12/10/2009

My daughter does this also. I just put it in the fridge and when she complains of being hungry I offer it again and tell her that's all she gets until it's gone. She is just trying to get something different, but when she finally figures out I am not going to budge she eats :)

Mandy - posted on 12/10/2009

Sorry folks, this is a duplicate....I thought the other post didn't go thru.