Losing My Mind! Eating Is an Endless Battle with 2 1/2 Year Old!

I think that this is a battle that you should choose NOT to fight. He is negative attention seeking, and it sounds like it is working like a charm. He get's a LOT of attention from you, with all of the things you keep trying to get him to eat. Bottom line? Offer food, but if he won't eat....... fine. Then let it go. I promise you, he will eat when he get's hungry. HE is not going to starve, but YOU will go mad! And look at the bright side.... you have very smart child that knows how to get what he wants. Just wait until he's a teenager! :) Good luck!

Hi D.-

My 2 year old is a fussy eater too. This is what works for us. Do not make a big deal about eating. When it is time to eat say "Michael it is time to eat". Put the plate of food on the table and physically bring him to the table of highchair. If chooses to eat great but if he doesn't just smile and say "you must not be hungry". "Let mommy know when you want to eat". Put the food away and go about your business. He will learn that he is not going to get attention for not eating. When he does finally eat make a big deal about it.

Good Luck

Both my now 9 year old son,and now 4 year old daughter, were picky eaters wen they were that age, instead of worrying and stressing myself out, i asked my pediatrician what i should do, he said to offer them pediasure and let them pick at whatever else they liked, and it worked after my son turned 4, he stopped drinking it and began eating what i placed in front of him, my daughter, still drinks her pediasures, and would drink them instead of eating a meal if she could, however, she no longer puts up a fight to eat what i prepare for her. Good luck!!!

Lene-

My nephew gave me this same problem when I babysit him. But he would eat but refused to do it at the table..he wanted to pick pieces off the plate and walk around the living room dropping food everywhere and refused to eat if I sat him at the table so I sat him in my son's highchair and put his food there and told him that he would sit there until he ate. He cried for a minute but when he noticed I wasn't paying him any attention then he started to eat.I say put him in a chair or something that he can't get down from and let him know that unless he eats he will sit there. He may try to ride you out a few times to find ur breaking point but if u hang in there and do it everytime then he will catch on and eventually it will be a thing of the past. I agree with some of what beth says but if u let him think he's won then that only fuels his motivation into controlling you.Stay firm to what you say and let him know that ur the mommy, not him. He'll probably pitch a fit for what seems like forever, but you know he won't do it all day and one of you will give in,and it should be him and not you.Believe me, he will get tired of sitting there and eventually eat to satisfy you so that he can get down and play.

D., I have been in your shoes. Let him go hungry for a little bit. If you let him eat whenever he is hungry he will never get used to eating as a 'family', he'll just snack all day long. If he doesn't eat at breakfast then take his food away when you get up from the table and try again at lunch. The same for dinner. He won't let himself starve. I used to battle with my son (who is now five) and when I started this approach I was able to enjoy my dinner and after a few days Michael started eating more too. When he saw he couldn't make me upset or frustrated by not eating he gave up that area of manipulation. The only advice I'll add that no one else has is this, make sure he gets a multi-vitamin every day! You can get Flinstone's vitamins and cut them in half and call them candy. My kids will eat brussel sprouts if I call them candy!! Make sure to put them in your highest cabinet shelf so there's no way he can get to them, but do give him a vitamin. If he's gonna be pulling hunger strikes or being picky he's gonna need the vitamins and minerals. Good luck honey. Just remember, if he sees that you are mad, he's won!

try putting it in front of him and leaving him alone. let him do it himself, hes not going to starve himself. my son is also 2 1/2 and its hit or miss if he eats. I've found the more I stress it the more he resists, if you make him think hes in control of his dinner he will prob eat on his own. Give him his plate , a fork or spoon and sit down and eat yours.

Ditto what Beth said. You've gotten into this power struggle pattern. One thing we cannot MAKE our kids do is eat... and they know that. Put the food there, sit down and eat with him and don't make a big deal. I think every mom has had food issues with their kids at one time and it's stressful... but it will pass. He will NOT starve if he skips a meal or two.

Yes it is normal. My girl does the same thing. Sometimes whe will eat and eat and then never eat. I never know. As long as they doctor thinks that he is healthy and within weight range don't worry. My friend's daughter has the same issue and eventhough her daughter is in the 20% the doctor still said she is okay for height. Only worry if he is not peeing or pooping that is the body's way of telling you that it is out of food and drink. If that slows down get help before dehydration, etc. Otherwise relax normal i am two.

That's quite a power struggle you got going on, and he's winning! As long as his doctor says his weight is fine stop worrying. He'll eat when he is hungry enough. Just fix your regular meals and he can eat, or not. Then don't let him have anything else to eat until his next regularly scheduled snack. The reason he eats so well at daycare is because he knows that's it. He either eats what he is served when it's served, or he does not eat at all.