Hi there

Ive just come accross this board, and reading your post it could have been written by me about my 3 year old son...
My son started off well weaned onto lots of home cooked soups etc was great but as soon as he got to about 1 year old he just completely changed..

Currently, he will eat crackers, bread sticks, dry bread, buttered toast, most fruit and yogurts/puds and thats about it.. he used to like fish fingers, chips, rice, chicken supreme and a few other bits but refuses them all now in favour of the crackers etc..

I cannot bribe, beg or reason with him he is just too stubborn it just doesnt work..

I am glad to hear i am not the only one who is in a dilema like this, i try not to get too obsessive about it as he is toilet trained, sleeps in own bed, social, etc, this is his only downfall really but any advice would be great

Thanks in advance for any advice, i have read and will try the advice already given on this thread

Thx Katie n Ryan
xx

Hiya Katie & Ryan!

Its so refreshing to hear, that the problems were having are relatively common. It can be a real worry!

My son had an operation recently on his tadger so we've taken a couple of steps back in the toilet dept. Really I'm just trying not to force too much at once.

He's appetite is still the same. I'm hoping its just a faze that he will grow out of. I dream about a switch going on and he trys everything! Lol! Then again, I'm not sure that will ever happen.

I wish you luck with Ryan! If you come across anything that works, shout it out to us mums here.

Take care
Brinix

Hi all,

Have been reading this thread with interest. I have a slightly different approach and would like to share it with you all.

I have a 9 year old daughter and a 16 month old son. My daughter was terrible with eating from the moment she was weaned. Only ate petit filous and spaghetti hoops, and then came the ' peanut butter on toast ' craze when she was 3. Now, this literally was all she would eat. For 6 months. Nothing else. For every meal. I was panicking, bribing, coaxing, punishing, ignoring.. you name it, I did it. Spoke to the health visitor , who just laughed and said ' Your responsibility to her ends when you place the food in front of her and no healthy child starves themselves .'

I quite liked this advice, so from then on, I just gave her whatever we were having and if she didn't eat it, then tough. I also changed my attitude towards it totally and stopped worrying. The upshot of this was that there were no more power struggles, as she soon realised that I wasnt bothered whether she ate or not. It worked. She was hungry within a day or two and had no choice but to eat more.

With my son, I started as I meant to go on. He is a very good eater and will eat anything. On the occasions where he has messed about and refused to eat, I never, ever coax. I just try him once. If he turns away, I end the meal and don't say a word. This means he knows that it doesn't bother me and it doesn't turn into a battle.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that it is all perfectly normal for kids to eat next to nothing. Or only one food item for months on end. Ignoring it really is the best thing to do.

HTH

J

Hiya J,

I do see where your coming from, because the health visitor mentioned the same thing to me. Only difference is that I just can't do it! Feeding one child dessert and snacks, while the other starves because he didn't eat his dinner.

I have to say his appetite has improved since I posted the question. He's still difficult but most importantly he sometimes trys the food. Don't think I can ask for more than that!

Brinix

Hi Brinix and J

Thanks for your replies, i think i will speak to the HV and see if she thinks the same as your HV ( J ) It does sound like a good idea and def worth a try...

We havent progressed much since i posted, but at least hes still eating those things! lol

Anyway good luck Brinix too and thanks again J for the advice

Speak soon
Katie n Ryan x