3-Year-old Is Suddenly Hardly Eating

My three year old has the same problem. She (unlike my best friends 3 year old) hardly eats, and has almost never finished a meal. I have talked to our peditrition about it and she only suggests giving her the protein part of the meal first (meat) and only if this is eaten give her anything else. She says not to bribe her or anything else either. This may be ol for some people but not me! So what I do is let Heather 'graze'. I offer her several small meals through the day and gave up trying to force her to eat at a regular meal time. She does well this way, eating ceral here, an apple there, mac and cheese or chicken ... As long as she eats a little of all food groups a day I am happy and her weight is in the normal range. Good luck!

My 21 month old daughter goes through that all the time. Sometimes she'll eat a lot and then all of a sudden she won't harly eat! Don't force him, cause he'll eat when he's hungry, so I wouldn't worry about it. And I think when they go through growth spurts they eat a lot more, and then when the growth spurt stops, then that's when they hardly eat anything! That's what my daughter does anyway!

I have the same issue except mine is 4 years old. My 1 year old daughter eats 2x's the meal my 4 year old daughter does. I don't force the food issue. My 4 year old would also eat cereal for every meal if I offered it. I know she is a light eater and I know that when she is hungry she will eat. We made a rule that you had to eat at least 4 bites of each food on her plate before she could be done. I do allow her to have a bed time snack if she asks but it is something good like fruit or a yogart. They way I look at it is children will eat when they are hungry so I don't fret over it and as long as your child is growing and your doctor sees no reason to be concerned I wouldn't.

Hope this helps ease your mind.

M.

My son is now 3 1/2 and has been doing the same thing since he turned 3 in June. I allow him to snack throughout the day. He'll eat Cheerios, part of a banana (never the whole thing), cheese and yogurt (cups or drinks). At meal time he eats only the meat. It does not matter what you prepare (I've tried dishes where the meat and veggies were mixed together) he will still pick out the meat. But his weight is fine and the ped says he will eat what his body is lacking or craving when necessary. Good luck.

My son is now 10 years old and he still does the ebb and flow thing. I wouldn't worry about it too much and I wouldn't feed him special food because that could lead to a picky eater. Have you made sure that there aren't any sores in his mouth. My son gets alot of canker sores and it causes him not to want to eat. Our pediatrician said there was nothing we could really do for the sores except not let him drink through straws, sport tops on water bottles, or sippy cup, evidently the sucking motion makes the sores worse.

Good Luck.

I think all kids go threw that the doctors always told me when they get hungry they will eat an they will just make little things but try all day instead of maybe 3 times like we do