I'm failing my kids!

Rainboots80

Make up a snack box with healthy choices and only let them pick from that. My kids get to eat 2 boxes sugary cereal a month between the 4 of them. The rest of the time I pick healthier ones or they have something else for breakfast. I make them smoothies with plain yogurt, fresh berries and peanut butter. The berries make it sweet and the pb makes it creamy so they think it taste like a milkshake.

radmack

As my daughters' pediatrician used to day "picky eaters are created by parents."

As the mother of three grown kids, I beg to differ. My youngest was such a picky eater but not the older two. In college, she has expanded her repertoire of food quite a bit. My oldest started eating hot and sour soup at age 2.5 and love it. My younger still wouldn't eat it. And not because it wasn't offered or wasn't tried.

Food for thought - I had parents who promoted totally sugar free, junk free eating - and I ended up heavy. I let my kids eat lots of the junk that was forbidden to me and so far no one has a weight issue. And they don't go around eating tons of junk now.

I agree..to a certain extent. Granted I only have one child so I can't compare, but we eat quite healthy in our house. We are always giving our son new things to try, stressing the importance of making healthy choices, etc. All in all, he does really well. BUT I have learned the hard way that if he tells me he doesn't like something, it's a battle I'm not going to fight. Problem is, my son will actually vomit if he doesn't like something. Learned that lesson the hard way while at a friend's house for spaghetti dinner and I made him try a meatball (that was a year ago and those friends still remind me of it LOL). That being said, we do not demonize sugar and treats, but they are a once in a while thing and my 4YO knows the difference between a healthy snack/ meal and a treat. I still continue to put things on his dinner plate like spinach, etc and encourage him to eat it, but if he doesn't, I know he's still eating the other healthy things in his dinner so I'm not going to stress about it.

I don't necessarily agree with the whole "picky eaters are created by picky parents" thing. Yes, we need to make sure they explore their palate, but kids know what they like and don't like, just as adults do, and they deserve to have an opinion on it. I'd be pretty irritated if someone called me picky because I don't like pork chops. Worse yet if they put it in front of me and told me I'd have to eat it or go hungry. Sounds like a great way to create other food issues.

Mine used to do the throw up thing too. Gross!:sick:

I went back and read the post from the OP, and I would like to add that I did close my kitchen to the kids. When they were young we somehow got started on the 10 o'clock fruit o'clock morning snack. My husband came home at various times of the evening so to keep them from getting hungry too early, there was a more substantial snack around 3:30. That continued as the after school snack. Afternoon snack might be chocolate chip cookies with milk, custard, etc. I liked to do make homemade snacks so that I had a bit more control over what was in it.

wozkaa

Parents don't want to believe this (what I wrote above), and as a result, they often make things much harder than they really are. That was my point.

Personally, what did my child eat? Whatever she wanted to. My job was done simply by providing the food. And can it be that simple? Yes, it is actually that simple. Parents simply don't want to believe this. A lot of people want to be worried, a lot of people do worry, a lot of people thrive on anxiety because it makes them feel like they are doing a good job, or they are afraid that they aren't doing a good job. These are actually parents problems, not the child's. This is what is important to remember, I think, especially with toddlers and young children.

PS - Please also understand that my comments are not standing in judgment nor passing comment on anyone's individual parenting style that has been presented in this thread. It is only meant to be a general comment of how "we", as parents often speak about battle grounds and our worries, in general, which are often unfounded.

Total agreement here. I get annoyed when my husband sits with the girls at dinner (while I get a shower and run their bath)... he will point and growl, and spoon feed the one who is protesting. Apparently she will sullenly eat what he gives her, but I really don't like his approach and recently discussed it with him

It really is amazing how efficent they are at drawing what they need from what they eat - even if they apparently live on air!

lkraus17

I was in a similar situation as you. My son only ate select foods (pizza, hotdogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, etc) and I would cave in and give him what he wanted (partly because I wanted peace and secondly, I was foolish enough to think well they weren't that bad for him). At age 9 my son was 4ft 8 and weighed 130lbs.

About a month ago I saw this PSA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUmp67YDlHY and I realized I had to make a change. I tossed all the junk food out. I tossed all the sugary drinks out, I tossed all the white bread and processed foods out. I tossed probably well over $200 worth of crap out in one day. Did he cry? Absolutely! Did he starve to death? At first I thought he might. he is a persistent little man who was planning to hold out until I brought the junk back but i held strong because I knew what his future would be if I didn't. I had lost numerous relatives to heart disease, this summer my sister lost part of her foot to diabetes and if I truly loved my son then I had better smarten up and stand strong and give him the chance to lead a healthy lifestyle.

A month later, he lost over 10lbs, snacks on mostly carrots, apples and yogurt. Would he love to have pizza, hotdogs etc? Absolutely, so we don't even offer it as a treat, for fear it would slowly start to work its way back into our lives.

I watch this video over and over again when I feel that it just might be easier to swing by McDs rather than cook something at home. Watch the video , make your kids watch the video, explain to them what you are trying to do for them and hopefully you can find success.

craftytasha

Regarding lunches - have you considered trying a bento box style lunch? Maybe if they are more "fun", it would increase the rate of consumption.

I 1-up the bento boxes. They make making lunches so much easier and you can control the portions of snacky foods while adding cold leftovers and whatever is in your kitchen.

LifeWithPie

it's kind of weird reading this thread, with my upbringing. We were poor. I ate breakfast and lunch and snack at the school because it was provided. Everyone ate the same thing, every plate was portioned the same, and there were no seconds.

I remember asking Mom one day on the way home if we could get Tootsie Pops. She said "No, we can't afford it." And that was that, and it was the truth. It just made me a little sad to not get the lollipop. Don't get me wrong, I was a very happy child and Mom loved/loves me very much. We aren't poor anymore, because my mom worked hard off when I was young and got promoted over and over again. No I'm going to school and working and I can make my own food decisions...which is how I gained weight and now I am here.

No tantrums, I just scared the piss out of her by wandering off and asking strangers if they wanted a hug.

You're kids won't suffer if they don't get their snacks and sugar. Keep the food you want them to eat around, and don't cave at the store. You and your children are fortunate to even have this problem.

Ain't that the truth!