Picky Eater at 4Years Old

I have found that there is no way to force the issue. With my kids, if they don't eat what is put in front of them, they don't eat. Which is fine with me. Nobody had died from missing one meal. They are not allowed any snacks or treats until they eat the meal. I have a balanced diet each time and don't expect them to clean the plate but they do have to try a few bites of each item on it. 9 times out of 10 they finish the meal because they decide it's good not because dessert is waiting for them. So it sounds like you're doing the right thing just stick with it and don't make her a special meal ever and you should see a change. Just remember not to give in and give her a different meal option once food is on her plate. Like I always say to my family, "I'm not a short order cook!" You may get a fight a few times but in the end she'll start eating what you fix.

I have a 4 year old son who is the same way, I have him try what is on his plate. However, if possible i will hide veggies and make mixed dishes. Like Hamburger and Cabbage casserole. Whatever you do stick with what you tell her. This way she knows that you mean busisness. Let me know if you get ideas on this too.

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HI,
Our MD always said they'll eat when they are hungry. We have to drop the guilt we feel and know that they will eat. At lease she eats at school well. Perhaps she see's the other children eating and wants to fit in or it inspires her.

I heard a Mom at Meijers the other day answer her son's horror at the broccoli in the cart with " you don't like broccoli, well I guess you don't like ice cream they broccoli is in that, now we know not but some of the same vitamins are we can tell ourselves....Patience, this too shall pass
D.

My daughter did the same thing. From my experience there are three reasons for it: 1) at home she knows there is other food eventually 2) at home there are other thing to do be sides eat (she wants to get down to play, watch TV, go outside, etc) at day care eveyone eats at the same time usually 3) she eats it at daycare because she sees other kids eating it and they seem to like it.

Make sure you are giving her a multivitamin and make one thing at every meal that she like. If she likes corn, biscuits, watermelon and noodle. Monday make corn, tuesday make biscuits, you get the idea. So that she is at least eating enough that she is not hungery.

She will eventually grow out of it. If you want her to eat them at home, check with the day care provider and see how she cooks what your daughter is eating. It may be as simple as you put butter on it and daycare does not or it may be they use canned and you use frozen. It may seem like a small thing, but I am sure there are certain brand that you prefer over others because of the taste. Your daughter may just prefer the daycare brand to your.

I hope this helped. Hang in there. By the time she is a teen you will be wishing she ate less.

My 3 year old is just as picky, but unfortunatly she doesn't go to daycare and get the other foods. When she was in daycare, she would eat it all too. I mentioned it to her doctor at her 3 year check up and she said not to really worry about it, just try to make sure she gets yogurt, peanut butter, fruits and try to get her to eat read meat. However, since your child eats all the good stuff during the day, I don't think you have to be so picky at night. Check with the doctor, but she should be fine. I think a lot of their decision will be based on her weight for her age and that she eats it all at daycare.
I have two girls also, 3 and 1. My 3 year old won't hardly eat at all if we are around a bunch of people. I've decided that it's not worth all the battle with her, if she's hungry I figure she'll eat. And her weight is fine, so not much for me to worry about.
J.
Have a great day,
J.