Yesterday I made chicken noodle cassorole with corn. He loved it! Tonight I heated up the leftovers and he wouldn't touch it! I know that he is hungry, he hasn't had anything since lunch. He keeps pointing to the box of cherrios on top of the fridge! he is 1 by the way. Do I just give in and feed him something I know he will eat, or what? I can't make him eat the cassorole, he sat in his highchair for 20 minutes and would'nt even try it. So when this happens what do you do? What should I do?
2007-02-25 12:17:05 · 11 answers · asked by Peace 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
I have a 2 1/2 year old who usually is a pretty good little eater. I let him pick his snack from 2 things I know are good for him--"do you want an apple or banana?".. For meals, sometimes I will ask what vegetable he'd like to have. But, I don't want to fix him something totally different from the family meal or I will set my self up to be a short order cook. I will make sure that there is at least one thing on his plate that he likes so that he does eat something. I think it would be fine to put a small amount of Cheerios on his plate next to his casserole, but I'd not give it instead of what you planned to offer and then let him decide how much to eat of what you offer. Our jobs are to offer the foods we know are good, etc. The kids job is to decide how much of it to eat.
I hope this helps.
2007-02-25 13:32:07 · answer #1 · answered by TMOM 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is 20 months old and I have the same problem. With her, I make her sit in her highchair until we are done eating (usually when she sees us eating, she'll take a few bites) but then, most times, she just won't eat. If she still hasn't touched it bythe time we are done, I give her smething else.. half a banana and some cheerios usually do it. I know its frustrating bt you have to make sure he's eating and that he has a full belly. Good Luck, I hope I was of some help!!!
2007-02-25 20:34:53 · answer #2 · answered by Jenn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At his age, I'd give him a small amount of the Cheerios he is asking for, alongside the other food you want him to eat. Then put the cereal box out of sight so when eats all of the Os you can say "all gone."
If he is really hungry and he sees no other options, he will eat the food in front of him. If he refuses to eat it, don't worry, just expect him to have a big appetite tomorrow.
We all enjoy variety, so maybe he just didn't want to eat the same food 2 days in a row. As long as the foods you offer are healthy, let him express some preferences.
2007-02-25 20:28:54 · answer #3 · answered by not yet 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Give him the Cheerios, but don't make anything special. You don't want him to go hungry, but you don't want to get into the habit of cooking him something else. My 2 1/2 year-old will do this once in a while.
2007-02-25 20:21:55 · answer #4 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my nephew used to be like this. i was raised in a eat what you get or nothing at all kind of thing and now that i am older i appreciate it because i have tried a lot more things than other people that i know. if you don't want to go the whole route of waiting for him to get so hungry he'll eat anything then try alternate bites one of casserole one of cheerios another thing you can try just to get him to try new things is to wait to introduce a new dish until the day he goes to daycare or playgroup this worked wonders for my nephew he ate everything in front of him and liked it!!!! good luck!
2007-02-25 20:59:45 · answer #5 · answered by ஐEmmaஐ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I try to offer my kids a little of everything. I would have put a little bit of casserole on the plate, and a little bit of cheerios, and a little bit of whatever else you might have made. That way, they always get at least a little bit to eat. Usually, with my daughter (who is really picky) will eat what she knows she likes, then after she eats that, she is still hungry so she tries everything else. Good luck, and you are right, they will eat when they are hungry. I always tell mine, this is dinner, this is it for the night. If they get cranky because they are hungry, I put them to bed early.
2007-02-25 20:22:01 · answer #6 · answered by chelebeee 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Kids are weird when it comes to eating...At his age I don't think giving him the Cheerios would hurt, now as he gets older I would tell him to eat what you make for dinner.
As I was growing up my mother used to always have dinner for us every night, well it never failed that my sister never wanted what she made, and I remember that my mom would get up from the table, leave her own dinner to make my sister something completely different. Now as adults, my sister is SO PICKY when it comes to food but I will eat a wide variety of things and try new things.
2007-02-25 20:27:07 · answer #7 · answered by Vicki B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DO NOT cater to him. Missing one meal isn't going to starve him, and giving in will only encourage him to be a picky eater. Offer him what YOU want him to have, give him a reasonable amount of time to eat it, and then calmly take him away from the table at the appointed time, whether or not he has eaten.
2007-02-25 21:53:56 · answer #8 · answered by toomanycommercials 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Try this little game - put a bite on the fork, hold it out to him and say, "you better not eat this while I'm not looking!" Turn away and then play mad when you go to eat your bite and its gone (hey who ate my bite!!).
This game worked wonders on all 3 of our kids. Good luck...
2007-02-25 20:38:46 · answer #9 · answered by twinzmama 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ok have a one year old and have raised 3 kids...i would give him the cherrios....I wouldn't worry about it much at this age kids taste and hunger can change from day to day.
I never forced my children to eat something they didn't want this can cause eating disorders in the furture.
2007-02-25 20:24:36 · answer #10 · answered by mrs_b40 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋