My 3 1/2 year old has been picky since she started eating solid foods. I am not sure why or how this happened - we don't eat anything too strange and we have never made seperate meals for her to encourage her to want something different (the exception is when we make something spicey). Now our 18 month old - who used to eat everything in site - is starting to follow in her footsteps. It is getting really frustrating. I don't want to eat chicken or noodles or blueberry pancakes every night! Last night we had cheeseburger soup - one of my hubby's favorite. We also made grilled cheese sandwiches because we knew the girls would probably not eat the soup. There is nothing in this soup that is offensive to a kid - hamburger, potatoes, a few carrots, valveeda cheese and topped with bacon. I put a small amount in front of each girl to have them try it. After a lot of persuasion (and a little bribery - chocolate cake) My 3 year old finally put a bite in her mouth. She started gagging at the first taste of it. My hubby was so pissed! where does a 3 year old learn to gag?
We also got a email from some friends of our asking us to go on a small vacation with them in May. Since I started working on paying off my debt the last few months I have pretty much cleared my savings acct (except for $1500) and used any extra money I have at the end of the month to go towards my car loan. We really do want to go - we haven't been on any type of vacation with the girs yet. I think we will try to go, even though the timing sucks. I don't want to interrupt paying on my car, so I hope I can shave a little money off my household budget (currently at $600 a month) to make it work. I know we can spend less in that category - I just need to do better planning (and quit buying crap we don't need).
Picky Eaters and Vacation Delima
January 17th, 2007 at 02:55 pm
January 17th, 2007 at 03:02 pm 1169046150
January 17th, 2007 at 03:11 pm 1169046682
There's hope. I grew up eating peanut butter but today I am a little more adventurous - hehe. KEep showing her a variety of foods - they will adjust. Unfortunately the younger one will copy the older one.
My parents let me eat whatever I Want and that was not good. Huge issues I Am still trying to work past because I only eat what i Want, when I want. Dh is a lot more strict with me and I have to set a better example for the kids. The only reason I am eating a little better today. Try a wide variety to find things they like. The rule here is they have to try everything. At least try. OVer time we try not to cook what someone at the table doesn't like. (But no resorting to sandwiches or the same old every night).
Good luck!
January 17th, 2007 at 03:38 pm 1169048290
What you are describing is a normal stage in child development.
Or, you can give them choices-do you want corn or beans? Then after they pick, let them help cook it. That instils a sense of pride and they will be more inclined to take a bite.
January 17th, 2007 at 04:02 pm 1169049733
She does like to help out in the kitchen, maybe we need to have her do it more. I usually don't encourage it since she usually entertains the younger child when I am preparing meals
January 17th, 2007 at 04:09 pm 1169050147
January 17th, 2007 at 07:25 pm 1169061949
I had one picky eater child. I was picky at a very young age myself. I'd just say not to take it sooooo seriously as to get seriously pissed. Just serve nutritious foods, cut in sizes that will work, maybe not so much mixing and let her take what she likes... the beans or noodles theory here. Don't heap up her plate. Put one or two items on a small saucer and if she eats it and wants more okay, if not, there isn't much wasted.
Just choose your battles carefully because it can become a real battle and one you'll most likely loose your cool over if you pursue it. Proceed with caution, talk w/your pediatrician, etc.
Good luck!
January 18th, 2007 at 08:28 am 1169108904
We had to institute a rule in our house that if anyone "ewwwed" anyone else's food that they had to take a bite of it because the younger one was picking up her habits. That stopped my daughter from saying ew or yuck to foods she didn't like or hadn't tried and kept my son being adventurous.
We also have a rule that you take one bite of a new food. You are allowed to spit it out in a paper towel and wipe your tongue off if you don't like it and you won't be made to try it again, but you will try it once. And then eat something to take the taste out of your mouth. With this method my daughter ate foods we never dreamed she would and now eats quite normally, if blandly.
She did not like foods mixed together or touching when she was little either. Now I'll find her heaping chicken, potatoes, green beans in gravy in a pile and eating it mixed up. Now that, I think is ew...but I'd never say it or I'd have to try a bite!