How can I get my 8 year old to eat what I make her?

You can send her to bed hungry. She won’t starve.

I never made my son eat what I made, but I wouldn’t make anything special. He could make his own meal, and he had to have soup, or a protein and a starch. He ate enough fruits and vegetables through the day that I didn’t worry about it at dinner.
He started cooking when he was 6.
Hes 18 and an incredible cook now, and can find 80 different ways to make chicken and noodles an interesting meal :joy:

When I was that age I hated beans and scalloped potatoes. When my mom or dad made that stuff with dinner I had to sit at the table until it was all gone. If bed time came around I’d just be sent to bed with no tv time and no ice cream. She’s old enough to be disciplined for throwing a fit and not eating what you made her. She doesn’t need her own special meals.

Define your goal

  1. Getting healthy food into your child with the least amount of stress .
    Tell her she must eat healthy stuff if she chooses not to eat the dinner you cook . Have a plan and easy to get alternatives that she can get it you can quickly fix . If she argues beyond that then take away her options and off to bed or prebed time , no garbage food unless she eats the planned dinner or planned alternative. Put the ball in her hands.

Her palette is craving those food items. It WILL pass. You are able to control this for her and give her a healthier diet. She WILL eat when she’s hungry. Being hungry is a sensation she won’t want to repeat many times for sure.
If she’s going to school just provide a good slow release energy breakfast the following day.
Make sure there’s fruit for “snacks” for a couple of days, remove the biscuits and savoury nibbles. Persevere, there will be items / veg/ meats / sauces she will never like, and thats ok , once she’s eating a balanced diet - she doesn’t have to try them. But you’ve got this.
Society has changed us - before you are what you were given and went to bed hungry if not - I and millions of others are still here, undamaged :joy: honestly you CAN do this, you just need to go deaf to the tantrums.

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If they get hungry enough - they will eat anything. Try to serve “healthy” meals - if she refuses to eat, let her go hungry. She will eventually give in. Children who are allowed to eat only what they want grow up being picky and unhealthy in food choices.

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Sounds like it could be food aversion which can become a huge issue. Talk to her Pediatrician first to make sure it’s not a mental thing instead of hard headedness or picky eating.
Some kids have over sensitivity to textures, mouth feel, temperature, color ect. making eating an absolute nightmare for them.

Think: it might not be cause she doesnt think it tastes good. She could be warring with the way certain foods feel as she chews or swallows them

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I’m in the same boat. However my son is starting to avoid eating foods he was already use to. Now all he wants is milk with pediasure and PBJ sandwich. I have tried colorful foods, fun plates, food designs, and the strict voice. I’m at a lost too.

Who’s the parent ??? U are! not ur kid

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Grandson hated most meat and vegetables. Loved bread products. For some reason he loves ranch dressing. We started letting him put ranch on anything he wanted. He nows eat all kinds of meat and eats his vegetables. Broccoli is really good with ranch. We started this when he was 4. Almost 8 now. Let her cover her food with anything she likes. All kinds of sauces out there . Cheese too. Other grandson loves yum yum sauce on his foods. Their taste will change as they grow.

My kids must eat at least 3 bites of everything on their plate before they can choose a bowl of cereal or a PB& J. If they choose not to eat the dinner I made, they’re also choosing to not get dessert that day. I do not waiver. Follow thru is important. My man is already picky enough and I refuse to make separate meals for everyone. I believe that once they’ve taken those 3 bites of everything, they have enough nutrients that “going hungry” for one night isn’t going to cause them harm. Plus, 9/10 times I only put about 3-5 bites on their plates anyway (of each food) and it’s just a bite or two more and they get their dessert. I have noticed that my youngest realllllllly cannot stand things with gravy or sauce— so I set meat, pasta or rice aside for her before adding the gravy. If it’s something they’ve tried and still don’t care for, I’m a lot more considerate next time as opposed to when they don’t try it at all and turn their noses up. My kids are fantastic eaters but they’ve tried my patience more than a few times. Just know— if you give in, they WILL continue to push those boundaries

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My daughter wouldn’t eat certain things, eventually just left it for her to eat for next meal, didn’t eat it then it’s there next meal. She got free lunch and breakfast at school so I know she didn’t go hungry on school days but I’d try to make something she loved for dinner the next day so she would eat there thing she hated to get that one

My daughter was very simlar. Turns out she didnt like lot of tastes or textures. Would eat occasionally if was hidden in something. I just adapped our main meals & added few stuff she likes while cooking. Its pain to start of with, but soon adapt. Been honest shes now 15 and still same. Prefers raw veg to cooked unless broccoli or sweetcorn…likes most potato and only eats certain meats. Only has plain pasta or rice

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It’s funny with large families how you don’t have these problems. Survival of the fittest!! We say “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit!!” Don’t like it?? Bye​:wave::wave::wave: the wolves will move in and you will starve​:joy::joy::joy:. You are giving her to much attention! She doesn’t like it then put her food and the microwave and tell her it will be there if she’s hungry!! Clean up, put pjs on and rest mama!!!:wink:

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So quit buying the junk.

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Idk, I might have the uncommon opinion here. I don’t think forcing her to eat or sending her to bed hungry is a good idea. Not only is it possible to create an unhealthy relationship with food resulting in potential eating disorders, but kids like what they like. They don’t like what they don’t like. We as adults don’t really eat what we don’t like. As long as she’s getting her vitamins, she isn’t lacking in her nutrition.

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Try getting her to help you cook it, I find kids are more interested if they are more involved with making it. X

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Mix eggs with fush sauce and makr it into a omlrte with some rice she wont bw able to refuse .

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Why would u do that! Let it sit on plate if she hungry thats wut she gets and nothing else… she wont starve herself so much extra work for u and for no reason!!!

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Just put it in front of them. I have 4 kids all eat the same but 6yr old fussy and won’t eat roast meat so I do him chicken bit. But I refuse do seperate meals. They eat when hungry and no sugary snacks. I make mine eat fruit 1st off.

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You keep giving her the food. If she refuses to eat it then you tell her no snacks no desserts until it’s eaten then you wrap the plate up and when she says she hungry you take that plate of food out and reheat it and give it to her. After lunch tho throw that plate away and repeat. Do not give her anything else at all until she eats what u cook her. Be stern about this. She won’t starve trust me. My son use to do the same thing and he quickly learned that mama ain’t going to make me other meals anymore and he started eating what I make

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You can send her to bed with no food it won’t kill her. If people say it’s child abuse they’re delusional honestly cause it’s not abuse :joy::woman_facepalming: your child is not going to starve herself like I said she will eventually eat what u make but it will take time but once u put your foot down and she sees you’re not giving in she’ll eat what u make. NO SNACKS NO DESSERTS! She only cries and screams cause you’ve given in one too many times and she knows that the crying and screaming hurts you and you’ll cave in

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wow… some of these comments are heartbreaking.
my son has autism and has food aversion, he would 100% rather starve himself than eat anything he didn’t want to, so people saying just force your child or wait till they’re starving they’ll eat anything are horrid.

I wouldn’t dream of starving my child… food should not be a punishment, the more trauma around food you will cause.

Have you and any assessment for sensory issues or autism? please look in to this or your GP/paediatrician beforehand deciding she’s ‘fussy’.

And TALK TO HER, ask her why she doesn’t like what she does, ask if she would like to try anything new, maybe try 1 new food a day, more rewarding than punishment? try get her involved in the cooking :slight_smile: they are more likely to try something when they are involved xx

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Teach her about hunger. Take her to see homeless people. Not everyone have food on their plate. It may kick her in the gut and she will think twice text time

My daughter always ends up eating the same thing so I bought some child recipe books & let her chose what she wants for tea out of there. Because they are child ones the smaller babies will be able to eat them too xx

If my kids genuinely dont like what’s for dinner, they can have toast. But our rule is they have to try it 1st. My kids are 2 and 5.

You dont cave in. A child will eat whatever is put in front of them if they are hungry enough.

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My son was and is kind of still the same way. We’ve gotten to a point where it’s not a screaming match anymore but now he just holds on the tears and looks for the attention. He gets grounded if he takes longer than an hour to eat. Hes been picky his whole life and I couldn’t send him to bed hungry because he would throw up. And he had no problem getting toast for dinner for 2 weeks straight so that didnt work. It literally took me losing it and finding out what did work finally to get him to eat. He still throws a fit about some food but Not nearly as much as before.

Also for awhile if he didnt eat dinner it became breakfast. That helped tremendously.

Cooking her seperate meals to what ur other children eat, was ur first mistake.
Ur second mistake is feeling any form of guilt sending her to bed without dinner.
At the end of the day, if she’s hungry she’ll eat what everyone else is eating or starve. Here’s a hot tip, she won’t let herself starve.
Fuck that, this isn’t a restaurant. U eat what I serve or u don’t eat. Simple.
I’m not a cunt, I won’t deliberately make things that my kids don’t like. But I’m not about to let them tell me that all they’re prepared to eat is salty or sugary shit.

Set your foot down. Tell her if she doesnt want to eat what you made she wont be having anything else and if she wants to throw a fit about it to go do it quietly in her room. If she gets hungry enough she WILLL eat it!

Keep refusing to make different meals and buying junk. I promise you, hon that she will eat when she’s hungry. She won’t die of starvation either. She’ll come to understand that mum is the adult and we do as mum asks her to do.

I have 2 rules when it comes to food in my house. #1 I decide what to cook. #2 you (my family) chooses how much to eat. If they choose not to eat that’s their choice. That’s not to say I don’t make what they like from time to time or allow input. I’m not a short order cook though. I make 1 meal & they choose to eat or not. Kids won’t starve themselves. 1 meal missed because they’d rather throw a fit try to control me is usually enough for them to eat what is served the next meal.

Why do you give her the most attention, that’s probably partially why she treats you like this

For us… I cook and I ask my kids to try a bite then they can make themselves something else. I try not to have “junk” in the house or at least minimal… if it’s not there they can’t eat it. I also sometimes make extra of what healthier foods they like so I have it in the fridge (in the back) for a healthy go to as well. I would never admit that strategy to them by any means but that’s another pointer.

Another important thing I would like to say is it sounds like your child could benefit from an evaluation. It sounds like food aversions, which is not a child being picky. I have an Autistic son who has this issue due to textures and smells. My other child is sensitive to smells of the foods and gags easily.

A lot of people experience a change in eating habits as they developed and grow. I know I personally was a picky eater as a child and now I’m an adult that loves veggies and I’m not a big fan of sweets.

Goodluck, remember to have lots of love and patience! Try talking to your little one as well.

She won’t starve. She can either eat what you make or go to bed hungry. Watch some episodes of the nanny. Jojo Frost does a great job teaching parents to get their kids to eat. Sometimes meal planning helps, when kids are engaged and informed they make better choices.

My mom always left it up to us. If i didnt like what was for dinner i could make a sandwich or have a cup of soup. She didnt want me starved but wasnt going to cater to me.

You have said it yourself - you give her the most attention , you didn’t push healthy food when she was little and you can’t send her to bed with no food

This will sound harsh but she is spoilt and knows she will get her own way if she cries long enough

You HAVE to back up what you say 8 years old is not a baby - going to bed without food for one day will not starve her

Cook the food , she will eat when hungry - if your little ones are eating well and being good , and she is getting what she wants by kicking off they will eventually learn to copy her and then you will have 3 kids doing it

Nip it in the bud

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We aren’t here to be their friends. It’s okay for them not to like you sometimes. I cook what I cook and if my kids don’t like it, after making them eat a few bites, I will not make them anything else. She is 8, I have an 8 year old that can make sandwiches and even use the microwave. That is alternatives wic they don’t like what I make. Either that or go to bed without dinner

Eat what I make or go to bed hungry and this will be reheated for breakfast. Waste not, want not. I can’t afford to have a picky eater, so I just put my foot down from the beginning.

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Mine is the same way. I tell her that she has to ear a little of what I make to get something different. And each time I make that same meal I add a little more of mine and less of what she wants. She will get full on what I make and not what she wants

I’d rather keep my sanity😅. Its only food and kids go through so much changes with that topic. My 8 yr old is the same way. I honestly would rather my kid eat something they enjoy and not feel disgusted or get sick from eating something forced than to be hungry. Ugh i us to get sick as a kid when i had to eat what was made and i honestly didn’t like it. I mean us as adults wouldn’t sit there and torture ourselves if we dont like something to our taste. Its not the end of the world. So many vitamins these days to keep up with the same healthy things in food. Of course. Dont let her go crazy with sweets but it will be ok.

I grew up with the rule that you didnt eat except was given. My mother would save the platter a few nights in a row…i sit there till bed time for each of those nights till she would throw it out…i did not stick with same rule for my kids…felt it did not work with me so…My rule for my kids, they had to eat 1 or 2 bites of what they were sticking up their nose everytime I served it. Eventually 2 bites after so many times given to them brought them around. They say kids need to try something 10 times before they can acquire a taste for it. This allowed no body crying till bed time or going to bed hungry. After 2 bites, Let them eat whatever else on their plate. I always made sure the dinner included something else I knew they would eat as well so they didnt go hungry. I did not make special meals for them. Many times it wasnt the taste they hated but the texture. That rule helped adjust their taste buds and they did wind up eating most foods. I wont lie there are a only a couple foods my kids now that they are older just never learned to love but they will tolerate it.

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Dont worry when they are hungry they will eat. They have whats given to them or they have nothing at all. If you pamper them you aren’t doing them or yourself a favor. Ignore their wants and it will eventually build character

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Just give her the fruit, and what she wants in small portions…she will see that eating the small portion she still hungry. I didn’t grow up with this rule, and i don’t make my kids eat what they don’t want. Im very picky, so i knew my kids would be.

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Don’t give in to her. She won’t starve. It might take some time but it’s the kindest thing you can do for her. I’ve been there.

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I say, going to bed on an empty belly is going to change her attitude right quick.:blush:

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Put the food on the table. If she refuses to eat then she waits until the next meal. She won’t starve. She will start eating when you stop giving in. As a former foster parent and a parent, you’re legally required to provide the food not to make her eat it. She will be okay if you let her learn this lesson. Let her know that the rule is she eats when everyone else does and what is fixed. Give her a heads up that the rule is going into effect and don’t give in to her whining and tantrums. She will eventually eat. She won’t die. She will grow up. If she has behavioral issues during mealtime send her to her room and she can return to the table when she behaves.

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Eat whats in front of you, or get nothing. I’ve been raised that way, so my 12 year old knows, don’t eat now, ya get nothing to the next meal time. Skips dinner, so by breakfast the next day, he’s famished. Regardless if what hurtful things that are said, she’ll get over it. She knows what buttons to push on you, mom, to get her way. If need be, show her ‘mean mommy’; thats what I refer to myself when mine pushes his luck- i ask, do you wanna see mean mommy, he says, no ma’am…its cruddy to have your kid starve, but gotta show that tough love, Mom…you got this!:smirk::smiling_face_with_three_hearts::tipping_hand_woman:

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Read to end​:dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy:As a mom of six: I made one dinner plate for each child. They did not have to eat it, but they had to wait til the next meal to eat. Teach your children to eat what is served so that when they go to be a friend’s house they are not rude, so that they learn that you don’t always get what you want, so that they know the consequences of their decisions, so they get a good balanced meal, so that when they visit people or countries they will accept their food of their culture… But also let them pick 5 foods they hate and always offer an alternative even if it cereal or a sandwich. :muscle::person_gesturing_no::strawberry::corn::broccoli::sake::canned_food::cheese::fried_egg:

As a Nana of 3: I made you eggs but if you want we can have a chocolate ice cream cone for breakfast :yum::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::baby_bottle::beverage_box::birthday::cupcake::lollipop::candy::chocolate_bar::doughnut::cookie::custard::cake::pie::icecream::ice_cream::shaved_ice::moon_cake::fortune_cookie::dango::pizza::fries::pancakes:

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As a young mom i told the kids eat whats in front of you or dont eat. As an older mom i did start to offer pb and j if they didnt like the meal. Either way, i agree, they wont starve! I only wish i had 3 meals a day when i was a kid…
Smh

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My kids try and do that but we stand firm with putting their plate of food on the dinner table and they will sit and watch while everyone else is eating and then they start to see how everyone else is enjoying their food so they start chowing down and no more complaints. My oldest who is 9 just discovered now that he really likes spaghetti and he’s upset at himself for always making a fuss when we would make it and he’d only want the noodles but now that he finally decided to try the sauce he regrets all the many times we have had spaghetti that he missed out on. I think we have it at least once a week. Then I do try and make meals I know they really enjoy and they will take a few helpings each because they love it so much but it’s in moderation.

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I put the food on my kids plates and if they refuse to eat then I cover it up and put it in the fridge. When they come back out asking for a snack I get that plate of food out and heat it up for them. I went through that with my kids and I still do sometimes but I am trying to teach them that they will either eat what I cook or they don’t eat. So far they have learned quickly that eating their vegetables is better than being hungry.

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I grew up with eat what’s on the table or don’t eat. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. From my early childhood till I moved out after HS graduation. U learn that u try everything and to this day I will try anything . It’s eye opening . As Rachel said put your foot down before it’s too late !!!

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This too bad, why are some men taking advantage of some women.

Be in charge of her. No more special meals. Let her feel hunger. She will eventually eat.

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I’d say forcing will just be complete torturous for you and her at this point. So, I’d suggest being gentle and patient. Get creative. Maybe involve her in meal planning and prepping. Make compromises with her. Like, she gets to make selections if she agrees to eat what you choose too. Maybe, she can pick a side, a theme or one whole dinner a week. She may just grow out of it. My daughter is to be finicky with certain textures of food when she was about that age. She’s 19 now and her eating habits have matured.

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Put your foot down before it is to late

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I was always taught to eat what was given or don’t eat at all lol

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Before you try to force her to eat, you may want to talk to her pediatrician and see if they can run some labs on her to see if there is some chemical imbalances, you also might want to talk to a dietitian. Prayers going up for you :pray::pray::pray::pray::pray:

Let her go hungery a couple of days then see

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Dont give her any other choices. Make a meal fix her a plate. Tell her its eat it or go hungry and put her food away for when she says shes hungry. She wont starve herself. If it is something you KNOW she doesnt like but you do then make her something else but if its just that she doesnt want it at that time then she goes hungry until she eats it.

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Simple don’t but junk sides and meat and three health snacks she don’t like her let her cry and wine then continue with consequences kids don’t run shit your the parent :100:

My five kids are all alive and well. One of them hated dinner every night. There was usually salad or veggies if they didn’t like the other part of the meal. Or, nothing was their other choice. No Plan B sandwich either. Stand strong, don’t give in!!!

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I say be tough and force it now. She keeps getting her way. You keep giving in. She will not stay hungry and you are providing perfectly acceptable meals. She’s 8. Be the parent

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You are not picking your battles here! She is 8 she needs a balanced diet. You only need to cook one meal but if she doesn’t want to eat it she is old enough to make something for herself. Cereal a peanut butter sandwich and a piece of fruit. Keep heathy easy things and reserve dessert or treats for when she eats what you cook.

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Once you have her checked by a doctor to make sure there is no detectable physical issue with her, you need to take the tough love approach- what you make for dinner is dinner. Otherwise they can have a peanut butter sandwich and they don’t get anything else for the night. Maybe let each kid pick what you have for a meal each week? You said it yourself- she already gets the most attention. She’s testing you to see how far she can push it.

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I do Old school. You get what I serve or you have nothing the rest of the night. Nothing but water. While your siblings enjoy dessert or milk, not you. And it works. All of my kids eat exactly what i give them, whether it’s squash and broccoli (a common one), pasta, peas, fish, Indian food, Mexican, Greek, steak, chicken, squash pasta, food straight from my garden, whatever it is— they’ve learned. And they eat. Very well now. We used to have all night fights. I don’t anymore. You eat or you go to bed hungry.
And I make high quality home cooked meals so I expect the family to eat.

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If there is a real issue like sensory problems with texture or swallowing then you can look for a chiropractor or natural doctor that can desensitize the child and work on the swallowing reflux. It made meat a battle we could fight. Before the treatment our son just chewed and chewed but never could seem to swallow. Real meals took forever. But if it is simply a bad habit or behavior issue then I would agree you’re child’s health is worth fighting for.

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I have 3 sons, only one of which was a picky eater. He actually didn’t like any vegetables and would involuntarily gag on them. Kids eating habits change, but I would never force them to eat anything. If their body needs it, they’ll eat it. I just gave him vitamins and stopped worrying about it. He’s still a picky eater at 50, but is the healthiest of the 3 brothers. Tip…try mixing everything with Mac n cheese, lol.

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I’d say, your created a monster and now you have to deal with her. Make her go hungry for a while when she refuses dinner, put your foot down instead of letting her walk all over you. In other words, grow a pair.

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if she will eat a large tablespoon of peanut butter a day she will get pretty much all the protein she needs. also a couple bananas a day will go a long way to giving her most but not all she needs. If you put the peanut butter and a banana in a chocolate milkshake even better

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Oh no. My parents would tell me at dinner if I didn’t want to eat what was served, that was too bad. They were not short order cooks. I could either eat, or go to bed hungry. I got the hint real quick, and didn’t go to bed hungry many nights. What you allow is what will continue. Stand firm, set that rule, and DO NOT TOLERATE any attempts at whining or throwing a tantrum about it. YOU ARE THE PARENT. You don’t negotiate with the kids, that’s when you’ve lost the battle. I promise, kids won’t starve themselves. They will eat what is served when hungry, once they understand they have no other options.

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My son was not permitted to say he did not like something until he had 2 bites. He could say he did not want to try it, but not that he did not like it. If he did not eat what I made, he had two choices- cereal or a peanut butter sandwich that he had to get for himself. He was not a very picky eater (although he was not a fan of peanut butter) and I made sure when introducing new foods to have another side dish that I knew he liked. Most of the time he would try the foods and liked it. I required more than one bite because they convince themselves they don’t like it before they really taste it.

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I raised 7 kids. You eat it or do without. My oldest dont like certain things the rest of us do. In this case she can eat the sides i cook or she can make a sandwich i dont go out of my way to make a 2nd meal

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I have a picky child and i do not cook separate meals for her. I cook 1 meal, if she don’t like it, she can make her own self a sandwich after everyone else has been served the dinner i cook. She is 11 btw.

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As a mom of 2 children, now adults, I told them I’m not a short order cook especially after working all day. Eat what I make or go to bed. Your choice.only had to do this a few times. Be a parent for goodness sake otherwise be prepared to be walked all over.

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This is a battle worth fighting bc you are building future habits. She won’t go hungry for long. It is harder on you than it is on her right now. Hang in there! Give her a good vitamin.

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Let her help you decide what’s for dinner under the stipulation that she has to eat at least some veggies or meat. If she doesn’t eat then make her a plain old sandwich and tell her when she wants to be a big girl she can eat whatever the rest of you are eating. Hope this helps!

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Serve prepare your meals ,serve everyone the same thing . No one leaves the table until finished . If your 8 year old doesn’t eat have her wrap it in Saran wrap and refrigerate . If she complains of being hungry offer to reheat her dinner. If she doesn’t want it just ignore her and don’t offer anything else. Bed time snacks or dessert should only be if her meal was eaten.

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She won’t starve herself…she won’t get sick by missing a few meals or going to bed hungry. She will not see that you are in control of the situation if you cave.

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I had a picky eater and I made sure when I cooked dinner that there was at least one thing on the table that she would eat and I didn’t force her to eat anything else but I was not going to make a whole special meal just for her and she’s healthy and not as picky anymore now that she’s older.

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When mine was that age I started letting him help cook. Now he loves to try new foods. Maybe try that or get a Radish Kids box to try. Kid friendly themed meals.

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You guys are tough…when my kids were that age I gave them whatever they liked. Didnt want them to be hungry…lol they grew up just fine. Not that difficult.

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Lol stop making her separate meals…she will eat what’s on her plate or she can go to bed hungry. That’s how we roll in my house. My kids have never starved. But they know good and well that I’m not a chef and this isn’t a restaurant. They eat what I cook or they don’t eat. And that meal is what they’re offered next time they say they’re hungry. You didn’t eat your dinner? Ok I’ll wrap it up and you can try it again for breakfast. Don’t want it for breakfast? We’ll try again at lunch…you don’t get anything else to eat until that plate is clean. I’m a mean mom though. :woman_shrugging:t3:

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My grand daughter has sensory issues and goes to eating therapy and works on proteins. She’s been working on it for 5 years and still can only eat a few bites. Maybe she needs to be tested.

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Yeah my daughter eats what I give her and if she doesn’t want it she can go to bed hungry. She’ll live and learn. Eventually she’ll eat what you make when you stop catering to her every whim.

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I make one meal, eat it or you can pick a peanut butter sandwich, that’s it! I have a 5 & 10 year old and they basically eat everything!

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I took my daughter to the doctor because all she wanted was Waffles and peanut butter. (And she does have sensory issues) He said, she is healthy, keep up the vitamins, give her a childrens protein drink if she will drink it and don’t worry. It will fix itself. Sure enough, now she enjoys all kinds of foods including veggies. She really loves veggies and she is still quite healthy. Her weight is perfect for her height (she is not very tall) and she continues to amaze me with the meals she can put together without a recipe.

I say, don’t push the issue for now and take her to her pediatrician.

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I’m in a similar situation with my own kids… they say the same thing happened to me when they don’t get what they want… It’s so hurtful to hear… But we HAVE to learn to tune it out and stick to our guns. We aren’t doing them any favors by giving intothwir tantrums and demands…they will grow up acting that way and that will not make them productive adults in the future… going to bed hungry will NOT hurt her… I promise. You are the parents, not her… She will learn to eat and be grateful or go hungry. It’s not fair to you to make special for a bratty child… even if we are the ones who helped.make them that way… I feel your pain Mama! Stick to it and put your foot down!!

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Make sure there’s nothing wrong first. My child is 2 and only eats about 5-10 foods. He is going to go to feeding clinic because they think it’s psychological. I’m not gonna starve my kid or force him to eat things

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She won’t die from starvation. Make her a plate. If she doesn’t eat it offer her a piece of fruit. If she won’t eat that send her to bed. Don’t cave Nd get rid of the sweets and snacks so she can’t eat junk in the middle of the night.

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Once my son was old enough to decide. I gave him two options: eat. Or don’t. Doesnt matter to me. I’m not the one going hungry.
But if I am making something I know for sure he doesn’t like (potatoes) i make sure there is something on his plate that he typicallly does want.
And by no means is he allowed to tell some body that he doesn’t like the food that they made for him. He’s 4 and understands that dinner is the end of meals. Eat or don’t.

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Have her help you make dinner because believe me mine is 15 now and it only got worse. But now she helped make things everyone eats. Good luck

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I have been exactly where you are. I felt like I had failed and I had caused the problem I could not get out of. I was embarrassed to ask my pediatrition for advice. When I did he told me offer everyone the same foods. A child will not willingly starve themselves. Eventually they will eat. It took a while and my child lost some weight in the beginning but it did work out. Just be sure there is always 1 thing at each meal your child likes. I’m praying for you! Be strong and don’t let anyone shame your parenting. We are all fumbling through this world doing our absolute best to raise good children and we ALL make mistakes! You’ve got this!

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I would cook the meal you’re serving your family trying to incorporate some of the foods she likes so she’s still eating with the family. If she chooses not to eat that let her fix herself a sandwich or some cereal.

I think if you fight about it, she’ll associate food with anger which could lead to an eating disorder.

I think her having to make her own dinner will teach a lesson and give her a sense of control so there’s no fighting.

If she says no to dinner and no to making something herself, then you let her know it’s her choice to not eat.

Hard to do it but she’ll eat when she’s hungry trust me! No yelling just matter of fact :blush:

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If she doesnt eat what you provide then let her be hungry simple as that. And stop giving her the most attention…You’re rewarding her bad behavior

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No, you haven’t failed her. You just need to crack down on her. She will get over it. My parents always said “You eat what I give you or you can go to bed hungry” sounds harsh but they also said “You need to be more appreciative that you even have food because lots of kids in other countries have nothing at all” and eventually she will understand that you only did it to benefit her.

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I stopped giving my kids the option for other meals and they refused to eat often. It didn’t take long for them to eat what I make for dinner.

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Super Nanny addresses this on her show. It helps to see what everyone is suggesting in action.
I’m sure you could find the episode online.
You can do it!

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