My son is 2 1/2 years old. He eats good if it's his favorite food, (nuggets or general tso's chicken and he eats some rice on his own) but everything else we need to feed him to get food in him. I can't cook and feed nuggets to him or general tso's everyday obviously so to get a balanced nutrition in him, we just feed him his "non fave food". He will eat it, we just have to feed him, he won't pick it up and eat it on his own like he would if it was his favorite food. Anyone out there with a 2 1/2 year old like this? Any tips? thanks.
My 4.5yo grandson is still like this to some degree. He eats just enough to "not starve," then gets distracted. The upside is that he's never been one to stick toxic, dead, or dirty things in his mouth. Look for the silver lining!
Well, speaking from the perspective of a Mom with a kid who wanted us to feed her...and if yours never did this, you can't really say what will work ;) They do successfully self feed eventually.
You really don't have to stress about it too much, toddlers don't need that much food really, so you could be entering that funny time when it seems like they just don't eat very much on some days, and eat like horses on the next. My pediatrician told me that if my hands off kid ate half a banana and drank some milk on most days, and had some other stuff here and there, as long as she was gaining and not miserable, she would be fine. So we did not stress about it. If I felt like feeding her, I did, and I let her do it (or not) when I knew she could and it would not hurt her if I did not do it for her. You are probably there now, so ease up and see how he does on his own, but I promise that he will not go to kindergarten like this!
Incidentally, she is 13 now, and is still kind of like this. She would rather not eat than to eat something she does not want. Her choice, but I had to kind of chuckle about your post, almost every day she asks me to make her something that she would like to eat...and she can make most of these things herself, but she still wants me to do it for her! He will feed himself at some point, but his personality is hardwired and you may see this kind of thing for a long time! Learn to laugh at it and let him take on the responsiblity when can. He won't starve or waste away.
M.
All three of my kids love all kinds of foods, but my 5 year old is most picky (luckily his FAVORITE thing is broccoli and he can eat that all day long as far as I'm concerned!!) But, my youngest, turned 3 in March, and really does not like to eat from his own plate. It helps when we go out because he and I share a meal (and he loves grilled chicken and spinach - one of my favorites!!) so it works out. But I don't actually feed him. If he gets too distracted, I may give him a bite now and then to get him back focused on eating so we can get out, but he definitely takes care of feeding himself. All kids are different though :).
No my daughter feeds herself. The only thing we do for her is cut up her food. She will be three next month. I suggest providing him with his plate of food and a fork/spoon and don't say anything about it. If he refuses, try to get him to take a bite when you do "Let's take a bit together!!!" or get him chopsticks and rubber band the ends so he can use that.
Stop feeding him, don't put his favorite food anywhere within eyesight, and he WILL eat. Toddlers don't eat if they're not hungry, but they also won't eat if they are trying to have some sort of control over their life. By you feeding him, he is controlling you! Put his plate of food there with a fork/spoon (and don't be mad if he eats with his hands, my 4 yr old still does that!), and just do NOT feed him. He may not eat one or two meals, but I guarantee that by dinner time he will be hungry enough to get that food in his mouth! And don't make a big deal out of it, either. Don't stare at him to see if he's going to do it, don't talk to him about it, just set his plate down. If he throws a fit, make him sit in time out for 2 1/2 min. so he understands that even throwing a tantrum won't get you to feed him. When he is done eating (once he starts feeding himself), you can tell him what a great job he did using his spoon or what a big boy he is feeding himself, but no negative comments if he makes a huge mess (on accident) or doesn't eat much.
I think the answer is going to depend on if you mind feeding her. My son is almost 33 months old and he can feed himself but likes for us to. He will feed himself when he wants to. He is a picky eater and he will not try any thing new. Pedi says it is a phase but it has been going on for over 2 years.
I don't mind feeding my son. We get to sit together and enjoy talking or whatever. They aren't young for long...so I enjoy it.
I think I may be more sensative or something, could be that he is my only child, but I could never withhold the few foods my baby eats just to try to make him eat other foods.
my daughter is almost 2-1/2 and does the same thing. i always feel like i need to get her fed first before me and then lucky me i always get cold food. i've started just putting it in front of her and feed herself what she wants and then help her finish it. it is frustrating and a lot of times i have to break out the ranch dressing.
Give him a spoon and a fork and let him fed himself.
Does he eat cold cereal with a spoon? How about yogurt, ice cream?.. Does he feed these things to himself with a spoon? Mac and cheese?
I used to pre-cut any meats, so that our daughter could stab a fork into a bite sized piece of meat or cooked veggies. I also cut up spaghetti so it was not too long for her. She liked to dip it in the sauce instead of the sauce poured on top of it..
She would eat raw veggies with her hand of course dip foods in sauces.
Our daughter was in daycare at this age. They used to also be able to serve and then pass food at this age. Just let him practice. He will probably find it kind of exciting to be a big boy!
hello-
My son is almost 2 1/2 and will eat but im not sure if he gets tired of lazy but about half way through dinner he will ask to be fed, i personally think he wants to be fed because of the amount of food that is dropped from the untensil before it reaches his mouth. he doesnt do it often.
Wish I could offer up some sound advice, my daughter is picky but fed herself on her favorites, just refused to eat what she didn't like, so I made creative versions of what she liked, for example she loves cheese burgers so I would shed veggies mix them in the meat and make burger, she would chow down. Good luck
my 4 yr old will still ask to be fed. I think the important thing is that nutrition gets in. HOW it gets in is a "nice to have" but it will get there eventually.
