I hate feeding my kid

[speckledfrog]

He has suddenly become super, super picky.  If it isn't a fruit, cheese, or toast/crackers it isn't happening any  more.  Staples he used to eat regularly are suddenly off the table.  Then there is the moaning and pointing at shit that doesn't exist (seriously, what are you pointing at, there is nothing over there!!) and it's driving me up a wall.  One night last week all he ate for dinner was milk and ketchup.  Awesome.  And I get to do this three times a day!  Whee!!

ETA:  I know being a picky eater is common at this stage.  But it still sucks monkey balls.

[mrsukyankee]

I think the best thing that my SIL was told was that this will pass. (I don't have kids) Children will eat if they are hungry and there are moments when they will only eat certain foods. It drove her nuts, but when she just let go of any preconceived ideas she relaxed a lot. If you know he'll eat something, feed it to him. But only give him a few small options - too much choice is bad. And good luck!

[game blouses]

It's so annoying! DS's thing is if something is a little warm, he wrinkles his nose and says "hot!" And he won't eat anything else because he thinks it's hot. Even grapes!

[angelaa73]

Toddler pickiness is actually a survival mechanism. It's fucked, but it is!

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2013 12:17:37 GMT -5 angelaa73 said:

Toddler pickiness is actually a survival mechanism. It's fucked, but it is!

Explain yourself.

I am starting to take the fight out of it.  If they don't want to eat what's there, fine!  I don't really offer alternatives, or at least don't jump to it.  When they realize I'm not going to put more cheese (maw cheeeez) down they start eating the other stuff, even if while whining.

Jake can get them to eat more veggies than me.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  He gives it to them first, solo, as their dinner -- figuring they're hungry, so they'll eat a lot of it.  Works 3-4 days out of 5, which I think is pretty good.  I can only get them to eat veggies now if it's in something (pasta, burgers, etc).

[Deleted]

Oh but if they completely reject an entire meal, and we've given them time to eat it, they get PB on bread. They have to eat SOMEthing.

[eddy]

Feeding children is the worst.

terrible

[shananagins]

Sept 26, 2013 12:08:52 GMT -5 speckledfrog said:

He has suddenly become super, super picky.  If it isn't a fruit, cheese, or toast/crackers it isn't happening any  more.  Staples he used to eat regularly are suddenly off the table.  Then there is the moaning and pointing at shit that doesn't exist (seriously, what are you pointing at, there is nothing over there!!) and it's driving me up a wall.  One night last week all he ate for dinner was milk and ketchup.  Awesome.  And I get to do this three times a day!  Whee!!

ETA:  I know being a picky eater is common at this stage.  But it still sucks monkey balls.

This is driving me insane. 
Mine will currently only eat fruit, cheese, eggs, and mac n cheese. On a good day I can smuggle some broccoli or peas in the eggs or pasta, but more often they'll pic around it and drop the veggies for the dogs. Our dogs are very well fed lately.  :^)
And the amount of cheese, milk and yogurt has made them both constipated, which is also fun. 
A few times I've resorted to taking their dinner and sitting on the couch to pretend to eat it myself. Then they run to me like baby birds begging for a bite. 

[looseseal]

I get up a bazillion times each meal. He gets a bit of everything on his plate. Only if he at least tries everything does he get more of the one thing he'll generally eat. So, we go back and forth. He eats a bite of chicken, gets more cottage cheese. He eats a sweet potato fry, he gets more cottage cheese. If I leave it on the table, it doesn't go well so I have to leave everything in the kitchen and schlepp it back and forth to the table.

MIL brags about how well he eats at her house. 'He ate sooooo much of his supper. He's so great!!!' Then I found out he's just eating cottage cheese, with a single kernel of corn on the side. Yeah, he's stellar./sarcastic.

[speckledfrog]

Sept 26, 2013 12:17:37 GMT -5 angelaa73 said:

Toddler pickiness is actually a survival mechanism. It's fucked, but it is!

Well, it's not a very good one because it makes their mothers want to squish them.

[Deleted]

The thought of this coming depresses me. Andy is a really good eater and I hate the idea that he will become picky.

[speckledfrog]

Sept 26, 2013 12:34:44 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

The thought of this coming depresses me. Andy is a really good eater and I hate the idea that he will become picky.

Just pretend that it won't happen to you.  That's what I did.

ETA:  Pump him full of vitamin rich food while you still can!

[tulip]

My 3 year old has broken me over food and her not eating. Somehow I'm the only one crying, frustrated and losing my mind. It's taken all the joy I had in cooking.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2013 12:35:29 GMT -5 speckledfrog said:

Sept 26, 2013 12:34:44 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

The thought of this coming depresses me. Andy is a really good eater and I hate the idea that he will become picky.

Just pretend that it won't happen to you.  That's what I did.

lol. Are there any toddlers who aren't picky? 

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2013 12:34:44 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

The thought of this coming depresses me. Andy is a really good eater and I hate the idea that he will become picky.

It could still get worse *bangs on wood* but even at their pickiest, the boys are still pretty good eaters.

I wouldn't stress too much.  Some kids skip it almost entirely!!

[cleo29]

K and C, for that matter, have both gone through phases where they suddenly don't want to eat foods they usually do.  I do not make second meals though, so they can eat as much of the dinner (usually there is a protein and one to two sides) they want and that is it. I have found that this helps.

When K decided she suddenly did not like ham, I just left her with her plate while I did other things and sure enough, she ended up eating everything.

[Deleted]

cleo29, I've found just leaving them be and not being in their faces helps a lot too. Toddler control issues? I have no idea. I often eat my breakfast on the kitchen floor.

[cleo29]

Sept 26, 2013 12:40:49 GMT -5 ninjabridemom said:

cleo29, I've found just leaving them be and not being in their faces helps a lot too. Toddler control issues? I have no idea. I often eat my breakfast on the kitchen floor.

My youngest nephew used to have issues with meals. Did not like a lot of foods, did not want to eat much, etc and things got better when 1) they put smaller, less intimidating portions on his plate and 2) got out of his face and let him eat in peace. Who wants to eat when everyone is watching you? lol  (not implying OP is doing this, but my nephew was a bit older and my sister was definitely doing it.)

[eddy]

Fuck all you people with babies similar ages to Leo remind me I am soon going to be fighting this with TWO kids. He still eats everything.


fuuuuuuck

That is it. I am done cooking. PB sandwiches for all!

[luckyval]

I gave up - it's cheese quesadillas and hot dogs every night

[thebuddhagouda]

Sept 26, 2013 12:40:49 GMT -5 ninjabridemom said:

cleo29, I've found just leaving them be and not being in their faces helps a lot too. Toddler control issues? I have no idea. I often eat my breakfast on the kitchen floor.

Yup. Ethan will eat a full dinner if he's sitting at the table by himself. When we all sit down as a family to eat, he'll take two bites and ask to be excused. It's weird.

As a general rule, I make one meal. I put very small portions of things I'm not sure he'll eat on his plate and a larger portion of something I know he likes. He has to at least take one bite of everything but does not have to finish it. However, he gets nothing else if he didn't make an attempt to eat his dinner. We'll save his plate if he decides he's hungry later, but I won't make him a sandwich or give him cereal because he refused to even try his dinner.

There are a few things (like green beans) that I know he hates, so I'll go ahead and make an alternate veggie for him from the get go, so he gets something he'll eat and I don't have to change the rules by making him something new once we've all sat down.

[Deleted]

Eh, I keep an ear out, but honestly in the mornings sometimes the only time I have to get ready is while they're eating (if I'm running late or they are needy). I might be relying too much on the non-choker making noise about the choker, thus alerting me.

I'm fine w giving them space if that's what they need. We have an open-er floor plan, which helps too. Me eating on the kitchen floor lets them eat and me eat in peace.

[Deleted]

kevin arnold the first time they did it I legit ran to the fridge and just kept giving it to them (shredded cheese). It slayed me! And it was the first thing they ever asked for (other than water or milk).

Now Gabriel will ask for an apple (by signing apple and saying "appa!") but then just wants to look at it. Or just wants us to fetch it, I don't know.

I love seeing all this develop

[speckledfrog]

Sept 26, 2013 12:49:38 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

She does eat better when I'm not in the room at all. But I have to be in the room! One, because our kitchen/dining/living is all one room. And two, choking. Plus I'm not going to go hide so my baby can eat.

I worry about choking, too, and I not normally a worrier.  I barely look at him while he is eating, I find things run more smoothly that way.

kevin arnold the milk and ketchup were separate.  My mom loves to tell people that I enjoyed eating canned peaches dipped in ketchup and I always wondered why they let me eat such a gross combination.  Now I know.    

[cleo29]

Sept 26, 2013 12:49:38 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

She does eat better when I'm not in the room at all. But I have to be in the room! One, because our kitchen/dining/living is all one room. And two, choking. Plus I'm not going to go hide so my baby can eat.

I don't leave her at every meal, just if she is being fussy which is usually during lunch. And, I am in the kitchen (we have an eat in kitchen), so I am nearby just not sitting across from her. 

I think most kids will go through phases where they don't want their usual staples. I think teething has played a role sometimes.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2013 12:34:44 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

The thought of this coming depresses me. Andy is a really good eater and I hate the idea that he will become picky.

He might not. Rocco hasn't yet. He'll eat pretty much anything. Lest anyone accuse me of bragging, he pooped on the floor the other day. We all have our trials. 

[sonrisa]

Yes, feeding toddlers is tiresome.

I have a "toddlers won't starve themselves" mentality. I'll usually supply about three healthy food items I think she might like. If all she ate one meal was milk and ketchup, okay. Not perfect but at least she got some calcium and protein. Next meal probably wouldn't have ketchup on the plate. Water to drink, with just fruit and veggie options. I don't push any given item and don't make it a battle. I strive with balance over the course of the day or two.

[rightmeow]

My son is 18 mo. old. He's still a fantastic eater. I'm praying he stays that way.

Posts like these scare me.   He does point at shit all the time, and I never know what he's wanting. He also says, "sat! sat! sat!" while he does it. It means "that." 

[Deleted]

Oh I see what you mean now, Tamb. That does suck

Obviously she'd just rather play with you

[cleo29]

Sept 26, 2013 13:11:08 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

I admit to being pretty paranoid about choking, but I thought keeping an eye on them when they eat was standard. I thought everyone was saying they just don't get up in their faces, which makes sense. But if I even walk into the room when she's eating, she start signing "all done all done." I've been feeling like I have to put H in charge and go hide lately, and I don't like it.

I hate this topic, because everyone ends up sounding like vaguely smug and assholish. I am even reading my own posts with undertones of asshole. Why am I in another one of these again?? lol

how long has she been signing "all done" when you walk in the room?