Check out some similar questions!

supermommy25 · Oct 14, 2007, 12:11 AM

He will not eat what should I do he is three years old and

Wondergirl · Oct 14, 2007, 12:23 AM

He will not eat at all?

Children at this age have very firm preferences in what they want to eat. My older son lived on pb&j. His brother four years later lived on cut-up cheese and bologna pieces. It didn't last long. I always offered other finger foods and always had a baggy of Cheerios in my purse. They helped us plant and weed and water a small vegetable garden, so later they actually ate the carrots and broccoli and zucchini that we harvested. Peanut butter smeared on crackers might tempt him. Or something he can pick up and eat with his fingers, like fish sticks (still a favorite and my kids are in their 30s now) and tater tots.

Post more about your situation please.

supermommy25 · Oct 14, 2007, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

He will not eat at all?

Children at this age have very firm preferences in what they want to eat. My older son lived on pb&j. His brother four years later lived on cut-up cheese and bologna pieces. It didn't last long. I always offered other finger foods and always had a baggy of Cheerios in my purse. They helped us plant and weed and water a small vegetable garden, so later they actually ate the carrots and broccoli and zucchini that we harvested. Peanut butter smeared on crackers might tempt him. Or something he can pick up and eat with his fingers, like fish sticks (still a favorite and my kids are in their 30s now) and tater tots.

Post more about your situation please.

All he likes to east is junk food... he wants peanut butter and jelly all day or yogurt, chips and crackers. He will be 4 in 3 months and he only weighs 30 pounds he is pretty little. The only way he will eat all his food is if I force feed him.. and I can't keep doing that. He has been 30 pounds since he was 2 he has not gained any weight. I feel embarrassed sometimes when people see him they always tell me how he is not growing and he is so little... he is average height but not average weight.. what should I do... because I'm starting to get a little worried I don't want him to get sick and I want him to grow...

Fr_Chuck · Oct 14, 2007, 09:57 AM

Who is the parent, he "Only eats junk food" what does he do go intot he fridge and cabinets and makes his own food.

Get the junk food out of the house, feed him proper meals, proper snacks,
If you are worried about his weight, have your doctor check him out

supermommy25 · Oct 14, 2007, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

who is the parent, he "Only eats junk food" what does he do go intot he fridge and cabinets and makes his own food.

Get the junk food out of the house, feed him proper meals, proper snacks,
If you are worried about his weight, have your doctor check him out

I don't give him the junk food but that is all he ever wants to eat... My mother really spoils him and gives him what ever he wants... me and my mother have bumped heads about this a lot... I don't give him candy and I don't like him eating junk food but she will give it to him and now that is all he ever wants anything else like I said I have to force down his throat... and he cries.. he will say it is nasty... I really don't know what to do... because sometimes I sit him at the table and I won't let him get up until his food is gone... and that takes hours he will sit at the table all day and he won't touch the food.. but if I put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in front of him he will eat it

Wondergirl · Oct 14, 2007, 10:11 AM

Peanut butter and yogurt are not junk foods. Saltines and Ritz crackers can be topped with all sorts of things like cheeses and squares of cooked meats.

Like FrChuck said, ask your doctor about his weight. My picky-eater older son was small for his size, but during his teenage years shot up to almost six feet and a good weight, but will always be lanky like his grandfathers. Maybe your son takes after one of his ancestors and will come into his own as he gets older.

Wondergirl · Oct 14, 2007, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by supermommy25

I sit him at the table and I won't let him get up until his food is gone...and that takes hours he will sit at the table all day and he won't touch the food..but if I put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in front of him he will eat it

DON'T DO THAT!! All the parenting books warn against this. I tried it too, and all I did was create a miserable kid who began to hate me and to hate all food.

Have him help you prepare foods for cooking. He can peel carrots with a vegetable peeler, for instance. He can peel hardboiled eggs and chop them up in a bowl for egg salad. When I taught preschool, the more the kids got involved in preparing nutritious snacks, the more willing they were to eat them. One of their favorites was cored and sliced apples, and on each apple slice we smeared a layer of peanut butter and then put a vanilla wafer in the center.

There are helpful books at the public library in the parenting section, 649--specifically on your problem. Please check out one or two.

supermommy25 · Oct 14, 2007, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Peanut butter and yogurt are not junk foods. Saltines and Ritz crackers can be topped with all sorts of things like cheeses and squares of cooked meats.

Like FrChuck said, ask your doctor about his weight. My picky-eater older son was small for his size, but during his teenage years shot up to almost six feet and a good weight, but will always be lanky like his grandfathers. Maybe your son takes after one of his ancestors and will come into his own as he gets older.

Well I hope he does hit some type of growth spurt... and I have tried the crackers with meat he won't eat it, he will pick it apart and just make a mess and as far as the yogurt and peanut butter I let him eat it but I MEAN... he has to eat something else... but if it is not sweet then he doesn't want it... I am a young mother and even though he will be four soon I feel like I am still learning that's why I ask for advice from other parents that are older... I am struggling with my son on many issues not just his eating habits... he doesn't want to learn I know he can do it and I know he is smart but it is like he just doesn't want to try unless I do it for him... I have tried everything to get him to learn how to count and learn his alphabets and write his name.. nothing is working because he will cry and tell me he is sleepy when I try to teach him. What am I doing wrong??

Wondergirl · Oct 14, 2007, 10:37 AM

Make a game of things. Don't be heavy-handed. I remember a mother who told me, "I sit down with Suzy every afternoon to teach her how to read and, by cracky, she's going to learn how to read whether she wants to or not." (Suzy was nearly three.)

Children love to imitate their parents. Don't make a big deal of something. Don't cave in and do it for him. Go for a walk with him and count red cars or dogs or bicycles that the two of you see. Find all the letter E's (or B's or X's or whatever) in an ad in the newspaper or on a grocery flyer. Have him help you print a grocery list and use it when you shop.

Make learning an adventure. Say, "Hmmmm, I have to go to the grocery store. What should I buy? Hmmmmm. Let's make a list together" and also, let him help you shop.

Play small-child games with him such as Tic Tac Toe or Chutes and Ladders or Memory. Have fun with him.

Like I mentioned, your public library has parenting books that address exactly what you are asking about. Ask one of the librarians for help if you can't find something. I know it's there somewhere (I know because I work in a library... ).

AKaeTrue · Oct 14, 2007, 10:56 AM

Supermommy, just know that you are not alone.
Offer him his food, if he doesn't eat it, don't force it.
Rap the food back up and offer it to him again later.
If he refuses again, repeat the same process over and over.
He will not let himself starve, he will give in and eat the healthy meals.
Soon, he will stop resisting to eat when he knows that he will not be given junk.

I fully agree with wondergirls suggestion with having him help with the food ,
But with tiny tasks suitable for his age.
I wouldn't let him use a vegetable peeler,
My daughter peeled the tip of her finger off with one of those things and she's 7.
I don't think it would be safe for a three year old (if I'm thinking of the same thing).

Wondergirl · Oct 14, 2007, 10:58 AM

Keep in mind -- He won't do things perfectly the first time, or the second time, or even the third time. The whole point is to have fun with him and to try this or that. He will learn something every time you open a door for him.

Kae is right about the peeler -- but there are still lots of safe jobs he can help with in the kitchen, like dredging chicken pieces in flour or crushed corn flakes (of course, you will have to set this up for an easy cleanup and allow him to make a bit of a mess--sit with him and do it together) or cracking the eggs that go into cookie or brownie mixes or adding the dry ingredients that you have premeasured. (My son sat on the countertop next to the mixing bowl to help me make cookies, meatloaf, casseroles, etc. by dumping in the various ingredients.)

rpg219 · Oct 14, 2007, 11:01 AM

Super... my 2 yo went through this "stage". His pediatrician recommended that I give him vanilla ice cream and peanut butter shake. That way you know he is getting his calcium and protein. He is now past it for 6mo and back to eating his veggies.

danielnoahsmommy · Oct 14, 2007, 11:08 AM

You are not alone.

There is nothing wrong with penut butter and jelly sandwich. Further more you are ligning up you litle one to have an eating disorder. My son too is a pickey eater. About 35lbs and 41/2 years old.

What my pediatrician suggested is if he only wants to eat 2 thing it is OK to give in to him. Make sure you suplement with pediasure.