Fussy Children
Other
When I look after my grandson I am pulling my hair out with frustration at what to feed him, he is so fussy. Neither of my sons were like this as during and after weaning I gave them everything we ate liquidised, and they would wolf it down. Stews, roast, curries, Bolognese etc and they didn't get dessert as a regular thing unless it was a yoghurt or similar.
Yesterday I had a pizza base and chopped up a selection of foods so he could build his own......cheese, onion, tomatoes, ham and mushrooms, all he would have is cheese!
I have given him the usual lectures on his body needing proper food to work properly but I am not his mother so not in charge.
I can't lay blame as his parents make proper food but his mum is a bit fussy and he has probably picked up her bad habits.
Possibly, maybe he's just like that. Make-your-own pizzas are usually a winner though, that sounds a bit unusual! It almost sounds like he's a bit scared of foods which could indicate he just doesn't get out of his comfort zone much which he has, maybe he just likes what's familiar. My littlie is a bit of a horror at the moment, food-wise - she generally eats better when it's food she can govern herself - she's not old enough yet to operate cutlery but she's much more likely to eat something if she can hand feed herself it rather than if it comes off a spoon.
My nephew is like that. My sister was brought up on 'proper' food, she cooks 'proper' food, nephew wanted nothing to do with it. She blamed it on his teeth being knocked out when he fell over as a toddler, but he managed to eat pizza, potato waffles, garlic bread, cheese triangles and the daily handful of vitamins she gave him. (I blamed the teeth situation on the honey she used to put on his dummy to shut him up). He now eats and lives on pizza, potato waffles, garlic bread, chicken, sometimes salmon, full fat milk, and never eats fruit unless it's a chocolate orange. He's now 6'1,12 stone and a nightmare to take out for a family meal!
dawarwick fortunately he got the 'skinny gene' from both his Dad and maternal Grandad. My son had 'proper' food would eat whatever we ate (mashed up) from a baby and is now a skinny 6' chef (he only got one lot of skinny gene). The nephew still takes the daily dose of vitamins.
I do believe kids will eat if hungry and parents should not let a child rule the roost, eat or leave but nothing else given if you choose latter. It needs to start as a toddler before they can identify food.
You are right about genes, it is luck of the draw. Skinny doesn't equate to healthy. When I went on a diabetes 2 day session out of 8 of us only 3 were overweight!
Lynibis Sister always gave in, used any excuse why he wouldn't eat. Both of mine got what we had right from weaning, only difference between the two was Daughter decided she didn't like some cooked veg but was happy to eat raw carrot, cauliflower, broad/french/runner beans, peas, sprouts (her favourite) so that's what she got. She eats cooked veg now but given the option or chance will eat broad beans or peas raw.
lilyflower all credit to you for being strong. In many families these days one wonders who is in charge, the parents or their children!
There are bound to be some things kids won't like, we all dislike a few things, but it's knowing the difference between that and just being fussy.
Lynibis Neither of them liked Cauliflower cheese in its constructed form, but were happy to eat a separate bowl of cheese sauce and dip raw cauli and toast soldiers into it! They still pass on it.
I have trouble getting my sons to eat proper food they are great as babies but when eldest one started school last year he got 3 tummy bugs in 3 weeks and now mealtimes is nightmare
Yea it’s all kids there fussy with food besides for the odd one or 2 it’s just something to have to put up with till there older
Usually make your own pizza is almost a guaranteed winner.
Might be that he is going through a phaze I as most kids I would say are fussy at times when comes down to eating.
Maybe leave a selection finger foods on a plate for him and make it a game to see what they like and don't like the texture and flavours they experience when tasting.
No, not a phase, he is going to secondary school in September and I worry he will be teased. He has always been like it and a lot is down to his mum's worrying about food. She makes comments that don't help like be careful what you eat, some things are poisonous etc, that isn't cooked enough, etc.
Don't get me wrong I love her very much and we get along like house on fire, so not being an interfering mother in law lol.
my son is super fussy to the point i had to take him to see a dietitian. they advised me some kids are just simply like this. some get better with age, some dont. we just have to support them in what food choices they make.
Sorry to say I do not agree with that dietician as being fussy is not an illness or condition but a choice not to eat things you don't like the look of before even trying. It can cause illness in later life though.
They probably say that because there is nothing else they can say to 'cure' fussiness!
For me the only option is to raise children from weaning to experience all tastes and types of food so nothing is unusual.
Lynibis i have to say i disagree.
i think some kids fear food and we should respect that. we can suggest and encourage but i don't believe its just down to fussiness.
HollyDolly22 I 100% respect your opinion but I was discussing my grandson's fussiness, he is definitely not fearful as he will happily eat the things he wants to eat. Fear of food is a totally different ball game but if it is real and valid surely they would fear all food not just the stuff they don't want to eat.
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