child who won't eat breakfast?

Question

I have a 3 1/2 yr. old boy who will not eat breakfast. He will drink milk or juice. If I ask him what he wants, he says pudding or fruit snacks. That I won't go for, I try yogurt or fruit instead. I offer many choices during the week, cereals, pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, doughnuts(which he'll eat the frosting off of, not the doughnut) etc. I also have two ohter kids, they both eat what is given to them . I don't want to cater too much to just one child. I need some ideas? He doesn't eat well at any meal, by the way. Eats like a bird and is very picky.

I didn't mean that I am a restaurant and offer him that many choices each day, I meant that I make different foods every day of the week so that no one gets bored with their food. I do not force anyone to eat something they hate, I have one boy who hates bacon, so he just doen't get any with the eggs.

Answer 1

You're doing exactly what I would do. Don't make any special accommodations for the child -- as a member of the family, he will eat what he's served, just like everyone else. Give him time (and let him get hungry enough) and he'll eat what you offer. Be consistent, and be strong -- he'll fall into line....

Answer 2

Don't offer the sugary foods just because you are desperate to get him to eat.
It could be he is just a picky eater, and milk or juice isn't a bad thing.
My brother and I always had good appetites for my mom, so she was a little surprised to find my sister was totally different. At like a bird all the time.
Now my children, while 2 are my step kids, and are insanely picky, my firstborn is learning to eat a variety of things.
Try maybe fruit in the morning. There is a possibility that breakfast makes him a little ill-feeling. I often had that problem and stopped eating in the mornings, and I watch one of my boys not want to eat in the mornings. He will happily munch on a pb&j, but he really doesn't have any appetite until a little later in the morning.
Just don't turn to the sugar foods, simply because breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Your body is waking up from a rested period, and needs proteins to give it more energy through out the day. Some systems can't handle that. Let him eat something different, but still as healthy as you can make it. Aim for 'brain foods' lol. Strange as it sounds, its far more important than you might think.
And btw, the fact that you manage to offer all those choices with 3 kids, just flat out impresses me lol. I give mine cold cereal because thats about all there is time for.
You mentioned he doesn't eat well at any meal, though, and it may be a bigger problem. Mention this issue to your pediatrician, and keep a close eye on his weight. There may be something else going on ,and with his age, it could be very difficult to tell.
Sugars can really damage the stomach, and in a child can have the effect of causing weight loss, not always weight gain. In which you have to be watchfull of early signs of diabetes. Stick with offereing fruit, cheeses, nuts even (watch the salt intake too). Keep trying different things until you discover what he really does like.
Good luck!

Answer 3

I have a 3 yr old that doesn't like to eat breakfast also. I tell her that it is ok to choose not to eat but she then has to wait until lunch. If the child knows they are going to get a snack, then they will hold out until then. If they know they don't get that snack sometimes they will decide to go ahead and eat now. It took my 3 yr old about a week, but she still doesn't always eat breakfast. I do not force her to eat and only give her the choice of what the others are eating. Good luck!

Answer 4

First off, don't offer him so many choices, you're not a restaurant and if you get him in the habit of expecting so many choices, he's going to continue expecting those choices later in life. Do you really want to become a full time chef for your children?

Some people just don't eat as much as others. However, it could be that he's not expending enough energy to make him hungry. Get him outside and running around for a while for a few days in a row and guarantee he'll eat more. It's good that you go for the yogurt and fruit, but DO NOT give in and give him sugary sweets or junk food because then he'll just end up eating only that and become fat. A little extra weight won't kill him, but keep in mind that what you feed him now is going to dictate what he becomes later in life: A couch potato with diabetes or a normal productive member of society.

If he doesn't eat at designated times, then make him go without the snacks during the day. Make him wait to eat until proper meal times. It may take a few days, and he *will* fuss, but *YOU* are the one in charge and *YOU* have to make sure he learns. I have seen other parents, time and time again, give in to their kids because they're afraid they won't eat and 'oh lord what I can I do to make sure he won't starve?' I promise you, by all that is good and holy, that the child won't starve to death if you don't give in to his whining, don't give him his snacks or junk food and force him to wait until the appropriate dinner time. If he's not hungry enough to eat at dinner, then he will be at breakfast. If he cries or throes a tantrum, put him in time-out until he's ready to settle down and eat what he's given.

Shows like Super Nanny or Nanny 911 usually get it right so you could always look to them for more inventive ways of handling it. But, for me, I just look at them and say, "If you don't want this, then fine. However, that's what we are eating so you will have to wait until (next meal time) gets here before you can eat again. So if you're hungry I suggest you have some of this. Maybe (meal time) will bring you something better."

Answer 5

My 2 1/2 yr old son is the same way but just like u I try to mix it up for him...have u tried grilled cheese sandwiches...silver dollar pancakes (in the batter put honey) they come out very good. hard-boiled eggs? And don't give him too much liquids first because he will get full fast and then he won't want to eat. Also what I do...whatever I make for him is put in front of him and if he doesn't want to eat and only wants junk food he goes to his naughty chair with no TV and believe me after a few minutes on the chair he eats all of his food. Don't let him take control over you

Answer 6

My 2.5 yr old son...is the same way...BUT IF he wants something like cold pizza at breakfast time...as long as he's eating...I give it to him...my son also eats the frosting of the doughnuts...every child is different..and you should make the exception for the picky eater...he will out grow this eventually and then eat what everyone else is eating!!

Answer 7

Have you tried feeding him later in the morning? My almost 2 year old son won't eat breakfast before we leave the house in the morning, between 7:50 and 8am, but he will eat once he gets to daycare around 8:30. When I was younger, breakfast didn't settle well with me unless I'd been up for over an hour or so. This could be the case with your son.

Answer 8

dropping 10 pounds in a week is amazingly risky. once you eat much less then 1200 energy an afternoon your physique is going into survival mode witch potential your physique will do something for foodstuff there is extra nutrition in muscle than fat so as that's what your going to lose first. you additionally can heavily injury your coronary heart. so which you will desire to pass on an more advantageous weight loss application like ingesting 1600 energy an afternoon and work out for 30 minutes 5 cases a week.

Answer 9

Give him what you give to the others and if he wont eat it leave it. It won't kill him to miss breakfast for a few days.

Do not give him "snacks" or "treats" unless he has eaten a meal. He has an instinct to eat that he cannot control. There is no way he will starve himself - he can only refuse to eat because he expects something better to come along if he refuses this. Remove the "something better", stay tough for a few days and he will eat whats given to him. He cannot refuse to eat consistently if you are consistent.

Answer 10

Eliminate any medical reasons for this problem with your doctor. If all is OK health wise, put the food in front of him and the other kids and leave them to it. If he does not eat, take the food away. No fuss. Repeat at each mealtime until he figures his behaviour is a) not getting special treatment and b) making him hungrier.