I Swear, I Do Not Understand This Boy!

[SilverSabre25]

He's two and is just about THE pickiest child I have ever met. The boy refuses most food..even most fruit. FRUIT! Nature's candy! Perfectly ripe and sweet and juicy watermelon, blueberries, pineapple, even strawberries...all are met with a look of disdain and a sneer of disapproval. The only fruits I've ever seen him eat are canned mandarin oranges and bananas, and even those are hit and miss.

I've had him for almost a year and his eating habits haven't changed a bit despite almost daily exposure to the yummy stuff we eat every day.

I ignore the fact that the child doesn't even touch, doesn't even try anything I serve day after day. I have tried to get him to at least taste these things, and the only result is that I get angry and frustrated and he gets upset, so I ignore the whole thing instead. But it's hard. I want him to enjoy the yummy stuff and I feel bad that he goes so long with little or nothing going into his tummy.

[familyschoolcare]

If the boy is not showing signs of starving, then he is waiting to eat at home where he knows he will enjoy the food better. This is just my opinion; it is however what my son was doing at that age and until I caught on at about age 4. He would ask what was for dinner as I dropped him of at day care. Eventually I figured out that how well or poor he eat at day care depended on what they severed and what I told him was for dinner. Yes, at 2 my son was that bright and manipulative.

[jessrlee]

Hugs for you! It sounds like you are doing everything you can. I had two kids like that a couple of years ago. The second they left daycare mom had them in the Mickey D's drive thru!

[mickey2]

I have one little boy that is like this. He will not eat anything!

I only serve good foods and everything is very healthy and pure. For example I only buy pure jam with no preservatives, make my own oatmeal not prepackaged oatmeal, all breads buns etc only whole grains etc. so breakfasts usually consist of toast with jam, oatmeal, cereal but no junkie ones, etc, My lunches are all made from scratch and consist of roast beef turkey, chicken dinners, lots of homemade soups, meatloaf, pasta with homemade meat sauce and meatballs, stews, casseroles, etc. Our snacks are fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, crackers........

My day children for the past several years have all gobbled it up. This is the first child I have ever had who never came around. He actually cries when I place a plate of this good food or snack in front of him! If I ask him to try it or if I do not remove it from him fast enough if he says he does not want it, then has a whole out crying, screaming temper tantrum!

What does he like? Junky foods, Processed foods and candy! Give the child prepackaged chicken nuggets or a hot dog or pizza the child will make it disappear like he is magic!

He will not drink juice or water all he will drink is milk and he will fill up on 3 glasses of milk if I allow it. In the beginning I gave him as much milk as he wanted but now I give him 1/2 a glass and tell him when he is done his good food he can have more.

I just give him his meals and snacks like the rest of the children and if he is hungry he will eat. If he is not hungry that is his choice. I refuse to serve foods to these children that is not fresh homemade and healthy. I just leave the food there in front of him now and wait until everyone else is done and then get them ready for naps.

After naps when we have snacks he usually does the same thing and so do I. When he says I am done because he does not want it, I tell him you have to wait until your friends are done and I am still supervising them while they eat and can not supervise him as well if he is in the play area while the others are still eating.

He gets upset about it but it is the way it is.

Maybe one day he will eat what I give him but there are days where he eats absolutely nothing but that is his choice. I prepare the foods, I serve them but I can not force him to eat them!

[sharlan]

Iwish I could offer some advice, but I don't have any.

My 4 yo is like that. He will eat peeled apple slices, applesauce, and banana. Fresh fruit and veggies are impossible to get into him. Every so often, I will stick a tiny piece in his mouth, but he spits it out.

His mom is going to try single ingredient baby fruits to see if he will eat them. She tried peaches yesterday, and he ate it.

[youretooloud]

I used to get very upset at kids who would do that.

Now, I figure they'll either live.. or eat something. I just put a very small amount on that child's plate. I learned that the kids who are picky get more uptight if they have too much food on the plate. Plus, you waste more, which upsets you more.

If I know they like butter bread, I'll put one piece on each plate. He doesn't get more unless he's eaten his other lunch. (which I have made easy by making the portions small) and if he's not hungry enough for his other lunch, then he's not really hungry at all.

It's our job to serve a good lunch. It's their job to eat it.

[meganlavonnesmommy]

Food is a non issue at our house. It's not your job to make kids eat, only to offer them healthy, well balanced meals. The rest is up to them.

If they eat, great, if not, oh well, their loss, they will be hungry. I had a child in care a few years ago with sensory issues and boarderline autism. He wouldnt eat anything but pancakes and yogurt. He went almost a whole year in my house without ever eating anything. NOTHING! He always sat at the table with us, and I served him along with the others, but he never ate a single bite.

But he also had learned that if he didnt eat, as soon as mom picked him up, she would go home and make him pancakes. :-)

I know its frustrating, but honestly, just let it go. You're doing your part.

[Michael]

More picky eater threads: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=picky+eater