Kids won’t eat? Advice please?

You need to determine what motivates them and use that as leverage. “If you eat 3 more bites (of what I’ve already prepared for you), then you can...”

  • have a small piece of candy
  • watch your favorite TV show
  • play in the back yard
  • have a dine toward a trip to the dollar store
  • etc

Make a list of what they will eat (at least a few bites of) and (as long as they are reasonably healthy) offer them those foods. Don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to get them to eat broccoli or green beans if they have never liked those things.

Offer food frequently if they only eat small bits at a time. Try to find “snacks” that are reasonably healthy like cheese sticks, peanuts, low-sugar cereal, whole wheat crackers, fruit, etc.

If they are under weight, you need food that has calories. Don’t feed them “low fat” foods. If it’s milk, it needs to be whole milk. Read the food labels and see what can get you the most calories per bite. Nuts, seeds, and peanut butter are great for this purpose.

Many kids go through a picky food phase. And it doesn’t mean they are destined to be unhealthy eaters. Don’t let your kids manipulate you, but if the doctor is involved, you do need to find a way to keep their tummies as full as possible.

Also, don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good. As long as what they are eating isn’t total junk food, this to shall pass. And if you have to bribe them with a cookie to eat 7 bites of the dinner that’s in front of them, that is probably a better deal than having them not eat at all or running yourself ragged preparing multiple meals for them.

Once they eat 5 bites for a cookie (or TV time, etc), make them eat 7. Then 10.

/r/Parenting Thread