We have been having some issues with Evan's eating habits, or lack of as the case is. The problem? I can't get him to eat properly. I know this is common for little guys but my question is when do I back off?
Evan started out as this amazing eater, loved pretty much everything. Fed himself big bites as soon as he could work a spoon. We really thought we had struck child-eating GOLD!! But no. Maybe it was because I was overly proud about it. Some higher power must have thought I was getting cocky. Good eating is a thing of the past.
He doesn't like to eat "breakfast" or "lunch" or "dinner" so I'm learning to not call it anything. He likes "snacks" so I have actually fed him a meal and he only ate because I called it a snack. I swear this child pushes me to my limits and beyond, daily. This only works occasionally though, he isn't one to be fooled.
In the past week I don't think he has eaten more than 2 dinners, 2 lunches and 2 breakfasts. He wasn't feeling well this week but it was with a cold and it normally doesn't affect his eating. He has a couple of bites and that's usually it. Rarely finishes anything. He wants to snack allll day long though. This is where it gets tricky for me and I don't really know what to do. Do I cut out snacks? I am very health conscious when it comes to my kids and they are only offered good food, treats are just that....treats. So when they snack it's good stuff, but should I maybe stop allowing snacks until he starts eating his meals better? My thought is, well at least I'm getting some nutrition into him rather than nothing at all. I'm not sure if I'm right though and I don't know what to do. I fear putting him to bed on an empty stomach and him waking in the might and crying or something, his little belly all grumbling. I guess thats the lesson? Let him go to bed hungry so he figures it out. Ugh. I hate that though.
Help me mommy's!!!!
* I forgot to mention when I first posted this that I am also confused about how long you force them to sit there when they don't eat meals? Do I make him sit there for an hour? For the rest of the night? Not at all? It's hard when you have other things to get done and you have become consumed by trying to get your kid to eat.
Tornado is the exact same way!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we went to the asthma clinic this is what the nurse told me there:
1.Set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes, you decide BUT it always has to be the same. When the timer goes off take the food away. When he is hungry again later repeat the process.
*the timer helps because they hear the sound and know time is up*
2.In between meals, if he did not eat, only give him water!!
3.Do not give in and just keep giving him the same thing until he eats it.
Here is what else I have found works:
~If they just want to snack break up his meals into snack portions. Who cares if they have the same snack 3 times, at least they are eating the meal you prepared.
~see if getting a sticker after a meal helps. (rewards like that are tricky with boys, some like them and some don't. Sometimes they work sometimes they don't.)
I know exactly how you feel!! My hubby says let him go to bed hungry...I say are you NUTS!! But stick to your guns and it will come around. Tornado eats much better now, he still has his days, BUT now he eats what we put infront of him!!
Good luck!!
Oh man, story of my life! I can't wait to see what other people suggest. We've found that making him eat his dinner for snack helps (ie. if you don't finish it then you eat it until it's finished). Also, offering fruit or yogurt (it's his favorite) once he's done his meal is good motivation. We also spoon feed Chicken. Which I'm sure isn't a good habit but often it's the only way he will eat. Maybe Evan should stop hanging around with Chicken. He's taking on his anorexia!
ReplyDeleteps. we found letting him go to bed hungry didn't work. He was up every hour saying his tummy hurt when finally at 4am I made him a peanut butter sandwich and fed it to him in his bed.
ReplyDelete