Is This Mean?

[jen2651]

I started a new girl on Thursday... here we have K every day but for half the day. She is an am K girl so she gets off the bus at my house at 11 and parents pick up at 530. The last two days, she didn't eat a bite of lunch. Yesterday we had tator tot hotdish, fresh tomatoes with ranch to dip, dinner roll. Today we had HM spag. sauce with WW rotini and cheezy green beans (thought this would help her eat them...my kids were OVERJOYED WITH CHEESE. ON THE GREEN BEANS. WE NEVER GET THAT. YEAH). She never took a bite. Yesterday for snack we had apples and cheese...she didn't like the cheese (real marble jack...she only likes the slices with plastic). So far she has eaten some apple here.

I was planning on having fresh veges with dip and milk for snack but i KNOW she isn't going to eat that either...is it mean if I still serve it? Is it mean that I kind of don't care that she will be hungry? All my other kids gobble up the food. And they will love the veges with dip...one may not eat the carrot, but will trade the kid for the cuke etc...

Am I being cold hearted or am I just frustrated with the lack of good food and massive amounts of crap this (and many other) families feed their kids...last night for supper she had french fries and chicken nuggets. today for breakfast, a poptart. Tonight they are having fish sticks at her house...

[daycarediva]

I would just continue to serve her what your other children are eating. I would never alter my (very healthy) food program for a child. I have had daycare kids like this that wouldn't eat a single fruit or a single vegetable. C'mon, who doesn't like ANY fruit??? They eventually came around. Even my pickiest eater will eat 2-3 different fruits(canteloupe, bananas and apples) and 2 veggies (raw baby carrots and raw pepper slices).

You might give incentives to everyone to eat one ____ and you will get a sticker. This helped my dcg discover that she loves raw romaine lettuce (plain) and loves watermelon (which she had never tasted at 10!)

I have kids who have never SEEN pineapple, they know it as spongebob's house and not as a fruit! Most parents that I have feed their kids terribly and are in awe of how well they eat here. If you feed them good food, they WONT STARVE, promise.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I wouldn't alter my plans. Keep offering her healthy choices!
Side note on fruit. I have a almost 2 yr old that has boycotted fruit all summer. Sometimes she will eat part of her banana at breakfast, maybe an occassional raisin. But, every other fruit I offer up, no. Seriously, this kid use to eat fruit! Not watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, apples even. Strangest thing I have ever seen. Since she eats her vegies I don't stress over it but.. serious?? Has me a little baffled. Told her mom going into winter she might consider vitamins with a little more C in it because we won't have fresh peppers any more.

[My3cents]

no it is not mean.

It is your job to serve the food it is the child's job to eat it, even if they choose to eat nothing at all.

Keep serving it, they will catch on that the other kids are eating it. Monkey see Monkey do. Parents will catch on if you tell them each day what you served. They will want to try different things at home for foods if they know the child is eating it at daycare. They might.

After a while you get to know what the child truly does not like. I never make a child eat something they don't like. I may ask them to try it, but even then I don't push it. Even if a child doesn't like something, I still revisit it from time to time, because taste changes as they try and experience new things.

Don't feel bad, true starvation is not something commonly seen. It would be one thing if the child was not thriving.

It is hard for us providers when we serve healthy nutritious meals and we watch them go to waste, or a child that would rather have junk because that is what they know.

One idea for you is to give her very little on the plate, start there and then give her more as she eats it. This way your not wasting food and she is still being offered with option to have more.

[My3cents]

I wouldn't alter my plans. Keep offering her healthy choices!
Side note on fruit. I have a almost 2 yr old that has boycotted fruit all summer. Sometimes she will eat part of her banana at breakfast, maybe an occassional raisin. But, every other fruit I offer up, no. Seriously, this kid use to eat fruit! Not watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, apples even. Strangest thing I have ever seen. Since she eats her vegies I don't stress over it but.. serious?? Has me a little baffled. Told her mom going into winter she might consider vitamins with a little more C in it because we won't have fresh peppers any more.

you probably have already done this but try cutting the fruit up differently then you normally would. Small pieces or bigger chunks that can be bitten into.

[countrymom]

I would just continue to serve her what your other children are eating. I would never alter my (very healthy) food program for a child. I have had daycare kids like this that wouldn't eat a single fruit or a single vegetable. C'mon, who doesn't like ANY fruit??? They eventually came around. Even my pickiest eater will eat 2-3 different fruits(canteloupe, bananas and apples) and 2 veggies (raw baby carrots and raw pepper slices).

You might give incentives to everyone to eat one ____ and you will get a sticker. This helped my dcg discover that she loves raw romaine lettuce (plain) and loves watermelon (which she had never tasted at 10!)

I have kids who have never SEEN pineapple, they know it as spongebob's house and not as a fruit! Most parents that I have feed their kids terribly and are in awe of how well they eat here. If you feed them good food, they WONT STARVE, promise.

I got one, I had a kid about a month ago who didn't believe me that apples are green till he saw them with my other apples. He then asks me what it was and he couldn't fathom that apples can be green too (my kids love green ones) wait till I put the yellow ones in.

I have kids who are non veggie or fruit eaters its sickenin. But they know what every fast food is and all the junk food what it is and how it tastes.

[SquirrellyMama]

She has only been there a couple of days so I wouldn't assume it is because she hates healthy food. Give her some time. And then again she may just be the type of kid who only wants to eat her mom's food, healthy or not. I've run into some kids like this. They may have really healthy food at home but won't eat my healthy food.

She'll eat when she is ready. I have one who just started PreK. I've noticed his appetite has gone down since. He is so tired after school, I think. Maybe she is taking longer to adjust to K and new daycare.

K

[DCMama]

I agree. I don't think it is mean. She need to learn to try new and healthy things. I don't think you should adjust your menu just for one child that is not even eating healthy.

[cheerfuldom]

Isn't it "meaner" to continue to promote the processed food and unhealthy eating habits that apparently she is receiving at home?

This is a crazy world where a plate of healthy, fresh, homecooked food is thrown away in favor of a piece of plastic wrapped faux cheese.

Continue to do your thing....dont let a picky child determine your plans for the group.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

you probably have already done this but try cutting the fruit up differently then you normally would. Small pieces or bigger chunks that can be bitten into.

She won't even slurp smoothies anymore! She definately has taken a ban to fruit. We keep putting it on her plate. Someday... But, she definately gets healthy food at home too so I don't worry about it. Just a little baffled:confused:

[BumbleBee]

No, it's not mean. I actually have it in my handbook that I will not alter the menu unless there is a medical need for it and that I will not force a child to eat.

Tuesday I served nectarines & crackers. 8 yo had never had a nectarine before. Today was string cheese & cucumbers-same 8 yo said she doesn't like them. I just told her that she did not have to eat it and that she was welcome to eat the cucumbers. The look on her face was priceless. When she asked me if we were having anything else I simply told her no.

Never did eat the cheese, but I offered and it's up to her to eat.

[daycare]

i have not read everyone else responses, but I don't think that it is mean. She has to me introduced to new foods. My rule is you try one bite of everything. Sometimes if I know they don't like veggies or a fruit, I will offer vanilla yogurt on the side for them to dip and eat. About a spoon size full.

I offer my food in sections.

veggie first
protein second
grain third
fruit is their dessert.

maybe this will help out?

[daycare]

Isn't it "meaner" to continue to promote the processed food and unhealthy eating habits that apparently she is receiving at home?

This is a crazy world where a plate of healthy, fresh, homecooked food is thrown away in favor of a piece of plastic wrapped faux cheese.

Continue to do your thing....dont let a picky child determine your plans for the group.

I think it would be more mean to give unhealthy food. I always say when I don't like a person ohhhhh I just wanna give her a hamburger..... if you knew me, you would laugh....

I only eat raw foods....