all the moms out there, i have a question...................?

Question

what do you do to make a 2 yr old boy eat, what is served on the table?

Answer 1

you know i have a 2 year old daughter, i try giving her atleast 2 fruits, 5 vegetables , lentils, grains, milk, cheese, egg, rice and bread everyday ....
now how to give that can be quite tricky.....though there are few ways you can try it helped me with my duaghter hopefully it will help with your kid too...
1. introduce story time when its time for food, i know its not considered good manners on a dining table but what better than a kid eating his meal so in my house mealtime for my daughter is also her storytime thats when all cinderellas and snow whites come to live ...i make her so involved in that by enacting those and then by showing her everything thats she completely forgets about throwing tantrums or not eating the moment her eating stops my story ends too....so keep them involved and try to enact a story rather than simply narrating....
2 bring in some toys which they will only get after finishing their meal and let them play with those toys for 1/2 an hour after that hide them back again so kids usually look forward for things which they don't get that easily....
3 this is very funny but it did work with my daughter i took my daughter's picture and stuck it on a hard board i made a circle where her lips used to be and gave my daughter a spoon to feed the picture while i kept feeding her try giving your kids grapes etc so thay are difficult to put on a spoon and are less messier, while you feed them...
these little things helped me hope it helps you too

Answer 2

You find out what he likes to eat, then you serve it to him when he is hungry.

It is very easy to try and "control" children, since they are small and powerless. Resist the urge to control though, it only works for a short time, and then you are at a loss of what to do with them.

Like other posters have said, the best thing is to find out what he likes to eat. Then feed him when he is hungry. A two year old is still growing and developing, this includes their taste buds and brains, which is why one day they like something and the next they don't.

Don't fall into the trap of being self-centered, believing that everything your child does that you don't like he does intentionally to make you nuts. It's an easy thing to believe, but it is false. Your child has no idea that he is changing so fast, and can't help it anway. Go with the flow of his development, his changes are a part of growing up. If you don't make eating an issue with him, it wont be an issue for him. You child wants to eat because he must eat to survive. Unless he refuses to eat anything at all(medical issue??) then it really is a matter of learning who your son is right now, and finding out what he likes.

Answer 3

Can you imagine if you were forced to eat something you didn't like?

The best thing to do is give him choices about what to eat, i.e. "Would you like spaghetti or chicken today?" This will make him feel important and aid him in decision-making.

Or, give him what he likes. I know I'll get attacked by the 'cavity community', but there are many healthy foods out there he can try. Never force him to eat. He is 2, he is picky, he is trying to have a little independence. I, at 32, feel the same way! Choices help most, but try not to have make a decision about two things he doesn't like. It's simply unfair.

Answer 4

You don't, is the basic answer. You can't "make" anyone eat without causing psychological damage lol.

But you can do some things to help him decide he's hungry - all of which are mentioned in previous answers.

The way we do with our kids is to put the food on the table and tell them that if they don't eat all their food they can't have dessert. If they still don't eat I remind them that breakfast is a long way off and if they don't eat now, they WILL go hungry. I've made them go hungry overnight before and it's not pleasant. But it teaches them to eat when food is put in front of them and not expect there to be food later.

Answer 5

I have a picky eater also, along with a great eater, so it gets very discouraging and trying to deal with that stubborn little person who refuses to eat their food. I do one of several things depending on how many times that week my daughter (the picky one) has tried ot not eat her food. If it's the first time, I bargain, tell her that she only needs to eat a certain number of bits, even going so far as to section of her food so she eats specific piles, and if she does, she'll get dessert. If she pulls it a 2nd time, to see if it will always work, I tell her she has to eat all her food or no dessert, and we eat dessert in front of her to show her that she choose to miss out on the treat. If it happens a 3rd time, I simply stop dealing with her and send her to bed without supper. Some people think this endangers a child, but it doesn't. 1) Kids have extra stores of fat to help them last longer, 2) If a child is truly not hungry, making them eat is more harmful - they learn to eat, whether they are hungry or not and this leads to over-eating, 3) If it worked for out grandparents, our parents, and US and we are all still alive and eating our dinner like we were taught, then it will work for the next generation and the next and the next.... You get my point. Never be afraid to discipline your child. You have to remember that YOU are the adult and the parent. You are not their buddy, and you are not on their level. You are teaching them about life, and this is merely another stepping stone. Remember that sometimes, a child is simply not hungry. Avoid this by not giving any snacks out within 2 hours to dinner, and see if his appetite doesn't pick-up. We didn't always like what was set before us, and so it stands to reason that he won't like everything either. Pick your battles carefully. Check to see if maybe this time he's not eating because he had a snack and is not hungry; maybe he has just come out of a growth spurt and his appetite has dropped alittle; or maybe genetics are working and he is acting like a child. You decide and do what you think is best for YOUR child.

Answer 6

As a mother of five, (soon to be six), I know from experience that children can be picky, tired, coming out of a growth spurt, or just grossed out by their dinner. Force feeding is something that I DON'T recommend. I firmly believe that this sets up our kids for eating disorders later in life. A child that is made to eat only what and when and how WE want them to eat will never learn the true feelings of hunger and fullness. If your child is just picky and doesn't want to eat fruits or veggies, try making him yogurt and fruit smoothies in the blender, or finely grating veggies in your regular dishes (you'd be surprised how UN-gross carrot particles taste in things like spaghetti sauce....he'll never know it's in there!!!). Also give him a multi-vitamin, and ask your pediatrician for ideas. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Tell him that's whats for dinner and stick to it. He will not starve. I know as a mom its hard to watch your kids do something that they don't like to do, but if your not stern about it now it will only get worse. I got a picky 6 year old (that isn't mine) but she don't eat nothing besides junk. She eats what she wants for dinner and not whats being served. Its annoying to see kids be such fussy eaters. Tell your son that's whats for dinner and if he don't like then he gets nothing. Praise him with dessert after he eats whats on the table. Good luck!

Answer 8

It isn't easy to get them to eat what's on the table. My 5-year-old little sister isn't so happy-go-lucky with what I make to eat. I threaten to not let her go outside to play with her friends until she has finished what's on the table. I don't make a separate dish just for her. Take something away that your son likes to do, such as a toy, or something that matters enough to him to be without. Toddlers can be such a handful at times. Best of luck.

Answer 9

thats a realy gooood question , my son is now 12 yrs. old and he still wont eat the things i put on the table , unless i mix in some dishes he realy likes , like mac & cheese , etc. so maybe try bribing him with a dish he realy enjoys as a reward for trying something new.

Answer 10

Don't give him any other options.

If he doesn't eat it at lunchtime, save it until snack time. Serve it to him again then. If he doesn't eat it at snack time, serve it to him for dinner. Again, if he doesn't eat it, serve it to him for his before bed snack.

Start with fresh food in the morning, and repeat the process. Don't give him any other options throughout the day.

It's tough to do, but it WILL work eventually!

We give our kids options. If there are three different things being served at a meal, they can opt out of one of them. For example, I have a son who simply won't eat peas. Ok, that's fine, but he has to eat the chicken and the macaroni & cheese.

Good luck!