The Eat Nothing Kid

[countrymom]

I have a dcg she's 20months that eats nothing but junk food.

she doesn't eat
meat
soup
bread
eggs
pasta (depends on the type but no sauce)
no vegetables (none)

but will eat
strawberries
bananas
junk food
juice


I'm so tired of this. So today, I put one thing on her plate, she didn't eat it and so I sent her packing. She wanted juice, but I gave her water and she threw it. she just wants junk, crackers, chips, cookies.

the problem is that I can't just hand out junk food because then everyone will want it, but its empty calories and really not good for you. Oh it does effect her behavior too.

her mom is aware, she tells me that when she doesn't eat to give her a plate of fruit but thats easy to say when you don't have to feed 5 other kids, but really thats unrealistic.

oh, she's here for breaky too, same thing. I've tried everything, but then she tries to go in the cupboard and take food. So is it mean to offer her food and if she doesn't eat it just send her on her way. I think with this behavior will effect her in the long run too. Oh she also doesn't drink milk either. and I have her for 9 hours a day.

[daycarediva]

Mom had to have MADE her that way by feeding it to her in the first place. My 20 month old didn't know what juice WAS.

Anyway, I would give milk, even make it flavored, and gradually reduce the flavoring.

I would give her everything you are serving for each meal in a small portion and then give a cookie to each kid who finishes (or some other small dessert).

I have a VERY picky eater, he is 5 and his eating habits are atrocious. When he started (at2) he would eat less than 10 things, no more than 1 thing at a time, and everything was processed crap. He had a heck of a time here at first, but now has several grains, fruit and even two veggies added to his food list using the cookie trick. He will try ANYTHING to get that ONE cookie because it is the ONLY junk I will serve him and he KNOWS it.

[wahmof3]

I have this child too

except take strawberries and bananas off the eat list & add applesauce.

My food specialist says that I only have to OFFER it, the child can choose to eat it or not. That's all I can do.

[daycare]

I have one that will scream at the sight of certain foods. and whats worse is that he ate it the day before, but hates it today.....ugh

I let them try to eat on their own for 15min. If they don't eat something then I sit and try to feed them. If they refuse, it's down they go. They clean up their stuff and sit at the carpet until all kids are done reading a book.

[Soccermom]

I have a dcg she's 20months that eats nothing but junk food.

she doesn't eat
meat
soup
bread
eggs
pasta (depends on the type but no sauce)
no vegetables (none)

but will eat
strawberries
bananas
junk food
juice


I'm so tired of this. So today, I put one thing on her plate, she didn't eat it and so I sent her packing. She wanted juice, but I gave her water and she threw it. she just wants junk, crackers, chips, cookies.

the problem is that I can't just hand out junk food because then everyone will want it, but its empty calories and really not good for you. Oh it does effect her behavior too.

her mom is aware, she tells me that when she doesn't eat to give her a plate of fruit but thats easy to say when you don't have to feed 5 other kids, but really thats unrealistic.

oh, she's here for breaky too, same thing. I've tried everything, but then she tries to go in the cupboard and take food. So is it mean to offer her food and if she doesn't eat it just send her on her way. I think with this behavior will effect her in the long run too. Oh she also doesn't drink milk either. and I have her for 9 hours a day.

Not mean at all. If she is hungry enough, she will eat. I would just let DCM know what she ate at Pick up so she can maybe offer her a few extra calories in the evening if she feels that she needs to.
You could also try to serve something she does like at one meal or snack (like strawberries and yogurt for snack), maybe give her a little extra strawberries and no yogurt or something if you are concerned about the little amount of food she is consuming.
Feeding DCKS is hard. I now have all my DCKS bring in their own lunches and snacks. They love getting out their lunch boxes and get to eat things that they like. Saves me a lot of time and $ too. The food must be healthy though and they may bring 1 dessert for after lunch.

[Lilbutterflie]

Normally I say our job is serve the healthy food; and if they eat it they eat it. If they don't they don't. When kids are hungry they will eat.

BUT I have one exactly like this. His list of things he will eat is almost exactly what your list is. Anyway, this week he won't eat ANYTHING, not even what he usually likes. I know at his age (2) kids slow down a lot in their eating, but my dcb is LOSING weight, and I can see his rib bones, hip bones, even his sternum. He's lost about a pound in 4 weeks. I'm actually really concerned about him. Mom is concerned too, but has not taken him to the doc to see if his weight loss is normal. She also doesn't help things because at his house- he is allowed to eat anything and everything whenever he wants to- and not even at the table. He just goes to the pantry, picks out what he wants, and walks around with it. I've told her that is NOT what we do here; and I serve healthy foods- not junk. I don't think she likes it, because she always asks how he ate here; I tell her; and then she tells her son "Lets go home and eat junk!" I kid you not, that's what she says! Her philosophy is to let them eat whatever they will eat- healthy or not. It's just so frustrating!!!

[countrymom]

ok so I feel so much better. I did try the cookie thing, didn't work. I've even tried utensils too but it was a big game so more utensils. Tommorrow we are having noodles mixed with alfredo sauce, I already know she won't eat it, but the other 4 kids will without a problem. I also know its not a texture problem because of the junk she eats. Also, she eats fruit snacks but only the junky junk ones, she doesn't like the healthy ones like my kids like.

[Lilbutterflie]

Not mean at all. If she is hungry enough, she will eat. I would just let DCM know what she ate at Pick up so she can maybe offer her a few extra calories in the evening if she feels that she needs to.
You could also try to serve something she does like at one meal or snack (like strawberries and yogurt for snack), maybe give her a little extra strawberries and no yogurt or something if you are concerned about the little amount of food she is consuming.
Feeding DCKS is hard. I now have all my DCKS bring in their own lunches and snacks. They love getting out their lunch boxes and get to eat things that they like. Saves me a lot of time and $ too. The food must be healthy though and they may bring 1 dessert for after lunch.

Soccermom- I have been contemplating changing my fees (decreasing them) and not serving lunch; like you are doing. My thought is that I would shifting the responsibility of their kids eating (and eating healthy) on the parents to pack healthy lunches; not on myself. And, hopefully, each child gets to eat what they like and we don't have the lunch wars anymore. But I'm afraid that it will turn into a couple of them eating healthy, and the others bringing JUNK. Then the healthy eaters are jealous of the junky eaters, and we are all unhappy again. How do you make sure your parents are packing healthy foods? How do you enforce something like that when it is so subjective?