2 yr old eating problems???

Question

my daughter is 2 and half and refuses to eat on her own. She knows how to but just refuses to the point where I have to end up feeding her. I know this is what she whats to do but if its not her favorite foods then she wont eat. I understand she will eat when she is hungry but if she had her way she wouldnt be eating at all. Im expecting another baby in june and I want to ensure that my daughter is well on her way to doing this on her way before then...any ideas...

Answer 1

it's time for you to put your foot down. either she feeds herself, or she doesn't eat, period. when she gets hungry, set a plate of food in front of her and walk away. if she doesn't eat it, don't give her anything else. that's the only way she'll learn.

Answer 2

Food/meal-time has become a battle ground in your household. If you want her to be well on her way to eating on her own before the new baby comes, you have to make a plan and stick with it. You are correct that she will eat when she is hungry. There is no reason (other than illness) for you to feed her at her age, especially since you say she can do it. Children have very little they can control in their lives. What and when they eat is one thing that they can control. Prepare and serve her healthy choices at each meal and snack time. Let her eat how much and what she wants. When she is done, that meal/snack is over. If she won't eat anything, don't beg, plead, threaten, promise rewards, or feed her. Simply remove her and the food from the table and try again at the next meal/snack time. Make food a "non-issue" on your part. Throughout your life as a parent, you will have to make many difficult choices as to which "battles" to fight. In the grand scheme of your daughter's life, if she misses a few meals because of her strong-will, she will not suffer any long-term consequences. However, the lesson she will learn when you consistently say what you mean and mean what you say will have long-lasting benefits.

Answer 3

This has been tested a million times. She WILL eat when she gets hungry. And don't watch her or pander to her needs. Toddlers lover attention of any kind be it positive or negative. Dont let her snack. Sit her down AT THE TABLE put food in front of her, carry on normal dinner routine. When she's finished 'have you had enough?'Let her get down. and don't giv her anything else. BE FIRM if shes stubborn, a couple of days without food wont hurt her. You are not neglecting, you are providing her with food, if she doesnt eat it thats her choice and she'll learn from it. Giving her food she wants is a bad idea, and the longer you wait the more difficult it will be! Deal with it now! Stay strong and hold you ground. Best of luck!! (also giving her the kind of foods kids tend to demand will make her behaviour bad because of all the sugar and artifical products). (Tell her how yummy everything on her plate is, but sound geniune not worried!) IGNORE WHINING!

Answer 4

My pedetrician told me she'll eat when she's ready. My now 6 yr old was the same way about eating. Make it interesting by serving her finger foods. Let her get messy while she eats. Remind her she's getting to be a big girl and with the new baby you'll need a big girl helper. I know most say she won't understand but she will. When she refuses to feed herself, just say something like, Wow, I guess you aren't hungry. Let her see you eating and eventually she'll get with the program. Remember at 2 they want to be difficult about most things. One thing I did with my daughter was before she ate, I helped her, but let her do most of the work, feed her favorite baby. Her favorite baby happened to be a teddy bear and he had a lot of water soup...lol. Soon she enjoyed the process. My daughter was born a diva so I know what you are going through..lol.

Answer 5

I know how you feel my son would do the same thing and now he is 3 1/2 and still tries to say he wont eat this or that but my putting food in front of him keeping him at the table ignoring him and not letting him eat anything but what is on his plate worked for me as well when i tried potty training him he would nt go acted like a pull up was a diaper etc so i bought him undies and put them on told him you have an accident you clean it up and then you get a spanking for not using the toliet as well you have to rinse them out and sit in front of the dryer with nothing to play with until they are dry and if you go potty in the toliet you get a sticker well needless to say 4 accidents and 2 days later he used the toliet and only wears diapers when night sleeping so if kids are stubborn you got to find a punishment and a reward for the task at hand and be more stubborn to get them to do what they should so best of luck

Answer 6

I understand I have a 2 year old boy and am expecting a girl in March. I think this is just a stage they go through. My son will take a couple bites and thats it, and he wont even eat when I try to make him. He is in this stage where all he wants is candy. I dont give him any anymore. I hope he learns he has to eat healthy. I am sure your daughter will be ok. Just always offer her good stuff at different times of the day. Good Luck.

Answer 7

Well first of all most kids at this age have eating problems
my daughter is 4 if she had it her way i would still be feeding her.What you could try is when she's ready to eat
you eat at the same time if she insists on you feeding her just tell her"mommy has to eat too "once she sees you
eating she might feed herself.Just remember they grow up so fast that when she does start eating on her own you might miss feeding her ,just be patient and enjoy.
GOOD LUCK

Answer 8

with my son I bought him some of those training forks and spoons and I let him hold them while he is eating. Though he still uses his hands to eat with mostly he is pretty much getting the idea of eating with them.

I think that the best thing to do is maybe try and do a reward type thing. To where if she eats on her own she gets praise and congratualations and if she doesn't then don't give it to her. Start off feeding her what she wants to eat and give her praise when she feeds herself then slowly move to things she doesn't and when she eats it on her own then give her extra praise.

Most children at this age won't eat something because of the way it looks, or the way it tastes. So maybe she doesn't want to eat the other stuff because it tastes werid to her. My son (who is 2 now) sometimes takes one bite of something new and since it's a new flavor he pushes it away. Just keep trying to introduce her to the dish and after she gets use to it she will start eating it.

Also it might be good to put her in a booster seat at the table you eat at if she isn't already. Because with her in the highchair it might be sending the signal that you still want to feed her? If that is the case that she is still in the high chair. Since you did feed her while in it she might be thinking that you still need to. So maybe go and by a booster seat for a chair at your table that way she can watch you feed yourself and she might want to copy mommy.

I have a booster seat that you can strap to the chair and it has a thing where you can strap the child in so that they won't fall or anything.

Good luck :)

Answer 9

I have three children and they all went through phases where they did this, during my pregnacies as well. Maybe she just wants a little more one on one with you. I tried giving each of them a little more time away from the table and when they were eating i would give them a few of bites and then just put a bite onto the spoon/fork and put it in their hands and whatever they chose I didn't push it. The phases didn't become a power struggle and it all worked out, no one starved.
My littlest is also two and he didn't really seemed to be eating much at all, i had to stop giving him juice completely and milk only with meals. His appetite picked up.

Answer 10

You have to be consistent and stick with your decision, whatever it may be. We had the same problem and we decided that he had to eat with us, even if he was not eating he HAD to sit in his chair until meal time ended. At that point he had to assist with clean up and take his plate to the sink. If he did not eat NO SNACKS!! If you give her snacks, she has no reason to eat her meal, she is getting enough calories from the snack foods. (keep in mind, unless you are letting her snack on fruits and veggies, she is only getting empty junk calories). Anyway, it takes time to get this down pat - 2 weeks for us, a FULL 2 LONG weeks but, it is SO much easier now that he understands that he is to follow rules, not create them. GOOD LUCK