My four year old daughter will not eat dinner or drink anything. She eats breakfast and lunch well. In fact what she has for lunch is left over from dinner the night before that she did not eat so I do not think it is because she does not like the food. I am worried that she will lose weight or get dehdyradated.
Thank you to everyone for your advice. We found out this weekend that it was the postion of her highchair. With her being a special needs child, I had to feed her. She would face me, but the dinner table was to her side. When I turned her chair to face the table while everyone else was eating her older bothers tried feeding her and she ate. Since then I have not had a problem with her eating dinner.
If she's eating breakfast and lunch fine, then she's probably just not that hungry at dinner-time. Just make sure you don't make a big deal out of it. If she realizes she's in control of something, she'll never let it go. Just keep putting the food in front of her but don't draw attention to it if she doesn't eat.
Hi D.,
My older son doesn't like to eat dinner either. My doctor said if he's hungry, he'll eat and if he's thirsty, he'll drink. I try not to worry too much about it. He eats really well earlier in the day. My younger son likes to eat breakfast and dinner. He's not big on lunch. I think it's just a phase and they'll outgrow it. Hope that helps!
Good luck!
I have the same problem with my 3 year old. Getting her to eat dinner is like wrestling gators. She screams, cries, throws food and spits it back out. But only at home. I found one thing that does help because she eats well when we go out is to put her dinner in those styrofoam containers you get for your leftovers at a resturant and she will eat one of those. Plus she made her own placemat and fork. And when all else fails, there's always ketchup
Hi D.,
Funny you should mention such a topic, I have a similar issue with my 4 yr old son. Many a night he goes without dinner by his choosing. He is very picky. I simply refuse to make him a separate meal each night though just because he doesn't want what I made. I put very reasonable things on his plate. I don't get upset, but I let him know that the kitchen closes at 7:30pm for dinner, and no one gets dessert after 8pm.
I tell him that if he'd like to go without dinner that is his choice, but he will be very hungry. He also eats a great breakfast and lunch. I sneak as much healthy stuff into those other meals as possible and he takes a multivitamin.
If you don't have bed wetting issues I'd say keep a cup of water available up until bedtime, offer dinner at your normal dinner hour, and let her make up her mind. Ask her pediatrician, and if you are really concerned about weight, just weigh her twice a month to be sure. Watch out for under eye circles as that can indicate iron loss.
Good job Mom, just keep doing your best!
Good morning D.,
I wouldn't worry too much about the not eating dinner. Kids usually eat and drink when they need to. It's not always on the same 3 meal a day time schedual.
My grandson does not each much at one time. I just make sure I have some finger food kind of things for him if he does not each much at a meal. Healthy "snack" types of food may be all she needs right now. As far as drinking, same thing goes. She will drink when she is thirsty. Our bodies will let us know when and what is needed.
If you do notice a dramatic weight loss I would consult a doctor.
Hope this helps :~)
L.
